The lack of nurse-infant transmission of type B hepatitis in a special care nursery.
Twenty-four infants cared for by a nurse who developed acute B hepatitis with HBsAg present in her serum and saliva were examined for serologic evidence of hepatitis B virus transmission. None of the infants had HBsAg by radioimmunoassay or anti-HBc by complement fixation. One infant had anti-HBs whose transient presence was consistent with passive acquisition. Using sensitive serologic tests, no identifiable risk to newborn infants in a special care nursery could be documented as a result of exposure to a nurse who developed acute type B hepatitis during their period of care.
D003428:Cross Infection; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens