Alow but increasing incidence of Au/SH hepatitis in a community in which infectious hepatitis is exceedingly prevalent is of considerable epidemiological importance. The situation in other cities and states in Australia is similar to that in Melbourne and the state of Victoria.
Prior to 1954, viral hepatitis was relatively uncommon in Australia, but has been increasingly prevalent since that time. Fairfield Hospital in Melbourne, specialized center for the investigation and management of patients with infectious disease, admits a representative number of patients
260 240 220 200 Three-Month Periods 1.—Admissions of patients with viral hepatitis to Fairfield Hospital, Melbourne, January 1953 to December 1970. with viral hepatitis mainly from the Melbourne and metropolitan area which has increased in population from 1,589,185 in 1954 to 2,425,300 in 1970.
The admission rates to the hospital reflect the epidemic fluctuations in Melbourne modified to some extent by the admission of severe cases from country