Deirdre Clune
Question:176 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children the reported incidence of hepatitis B in each health board area in each of the years 1998, 1999 and 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3888/01]
Written Answers. - Hepatitis B Incidence.
The National Disease Surveillance Centre has advised that the number of cases of viral hepatitis type B reported by each health board in the years 1998-2000 is as follows:
|
Health Board |
1998 |
1999 |
2000(Provisional) |
|
Eastern Regional HealthAuthority (1) |
140 |
126 |
115 |
|
Midland |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mid-Western |
4 |
3 |
7 |
|
North Eastern |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
North Western |
4 |
1 |
0 |
|
South Eastern |
3 |
23 |
9 |
|
Southern |
2 |
3 |
51 |
|
Western |
1 |
2 |
6 |
|
Total |
155 |
160 |
190 |
(1) Eastern Health Board up to 1 March 2000
A national study into the prevalence of hepatitis B in the population which was completed last year indicated that Ireland has a very low endemicity for hepatitis B, approximately one in 200 of the population, which is much lower than that found in other low endemicity northern European countries. The authors of the study concluded that the current national hepatitis B immunisation policy, that is, selective immunisation of high risk individuals, is appropriate at present and recommend that it continue.
My Department's policy on immunisations is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. In its latest guidelines the committee states that, despite evidence of undernotification examination of the recent epidemiological data in Ireland indicates a low prevalence of hepatitis B, in line with other northern European countries. Immunisation is, therefore, recommended only for individuals who are at increased risk of hepatitis B because of their occupation, lifestyle or other factors, for example, close contact with a case or carrier. The committee states that it will continue to review the policy on hepatitis B immunisation in the light of changing epidemiological data and evidence of the effectiveness of delivery of immunisation against this disease.