Lack of transmission of hepatitis B after surgical exposure.
An orthopedic surgeon in whom hepatitis B subsequently developed participated in operations on 49 patients in the two months preceding his illness. Thirty of these patients were available for subsequent clinical and serologic follow-up: five had positive reactions for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and one had a positive reaction for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) at the initial examination an average of 77 days after surgery. No new patients had either clinical or serologic evidence of hepatitis B during four months of subsequent follow-up (mean of 6.7 months after surgery). A control group of 56 orthopedic patients had a 25% prevalence of positive reactions for anti-HBs and negative reactions for HBsAg- this was not significantly different from the exposed group. The risk to patients of acquiring hepatitis B after surgical exposure in this setting from a surgeon is low.
D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D009985:Orthopedics; D012306:Risk; D013997:Time Factors
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens