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Data on the distribution of HBV-DNA and other serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection in a population of asymptomatic carriers in Ethiopia are reported. As compared to data from other countries of similar or lower levels of endemicity, it has been found that HBV-DNA prevalence and its correlation with HBeAg/anti-HBe status is similar to that of northern Europe. HBV-DNA is present in 84% of HBe Ag-positive sera but in only 4% of anti-HBe-positive sera, where the lowest concentration of DNA (less than 5 pgr/20 microliters) was found. The trend of increasing prevalence of serological markers with age seems to indicate a considerable horizontal transmission still present in this age range (18-30). In keeping with data of other authors a 3% of HBV-DNA positivity in anti HBc only positive sera was found. No regional or ethnical differences of HBV-DNA positive sera across the country were observed. There is also no evidence of any correlation between HBV-DNA prevalence and HBsAg subtypes ad and ay.

A nationwide seroepidemiological study of hepatitis B markers prevalence was conducted in Ethiopia on 5,270 young males from all regions of the country. Overall prevalence rates were 10.8% for HBsAg and 73.3% for "at least one marker positive"; a remarkable geographical and ethnic variability of marker prevalence was observed, reflecting the wide differences existing in Ethiopia in sociocultural environment and activities such as tribal practices and traditional surgery. Sexual practices and medical exposure also play some role as determinants of hepatitis B marker prevalence in Ethiopia. General preventive measures, with particular reference to health education, by affecting incriminating habits and practices could have some impact on infection rates in Ethiopia, in the absence of a vaccination strategy presently unrealistic in this region of the world.

The presence of anti-human immunodeficiency virus 1 antibodies was tested in 5,565 serum samples from Ethiopia of which 5,265 were collected from military recruits in the framework of a hepatitis B (HBV) seroepidemiological study performed on a national scale in 1985-1986; the remaining were 300 sera from a population of outpatients belonging to the Arsi region. Of the 5,565 sera, 121 (2.1%) were found to be repeatedly reactive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for HIV-1 antibodies, but these reactivities were confirmed by Western Blot (WB) assay in only four cases (0.07%) and by ENVACOR (confirmatory competitive ELISA) in three samples. Twenty-three sera were positive by WB to one or two bands related to core proteins but were all negative by ENVACOR. However, according to accepted criteria for positivity, these sera must be regarded as indeterminant reactors. A sample of 409 sera, both reactive and nonreactive by HIV-1 ELISA, were further tested for antibodies to HIV-2 by ELISA. Reactive sera were analysed by WB and by radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) using 35S-cysteine metabolically labelled SIVmac (HTLV-IV) infected cell lysates. Only 11 sera were found to be slightly reactive in ELISA, but this was not confirmed by WB or RIPA. Data indicate that HIV infection was not widespread in the general population of Ethiopia up to 1986.

The results of Hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) antibody determinations carried on 566 HBsAg positive serum samples from a population of 5270 Ethiopian military recruits are reported. The prevalence of anti-HDV among apparently healthy HBsAg carriers was 5.8%. The prevalence increases with age within the available range (18-30 years). Differences might exist by area of origin and ethnic groups. The distributions of HBV markers was similar in anti HDV positive and anti HDV negative individuals, possibly due to the relatively young age of the population and/or the hyperendemic condition of the area.