Chronic liver disease rarely follows acute hepatitis B in non-immunocompromised adults.
The risk of developing a chronic carriage state after acute hepatitis B infection in adults was evaluated. Two hundred and eighty-nine HBV-susceptible heterosexual partners of acute hepatitis B patients were used to investigate the effectiveness of post-exposure immunoprophylaxis; 75 of them received hepatitis B vaccine, 72 hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin (HBIG), 71 vaccine plus HBIG and 71 placebo. Participants were interviewed, clinically examined and serum specimens were taken at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months after their first intervention. Serum samples were tested for ALT and HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs) using radio immunoassays. Forty-six (15.9%) of the heterosexual partners examined were infected; the incidence of HBV infections was higher among placebo (18.3%, 13/71) and HBIG (18.1%, 13/72) recipients compared to vaccine (16.0%, 12/75) and HBIG plus vaccine (11.3%, 8/71) recipients, but the differences were not statistically significant. Infections were significantly more often subclinical after immunoprophylaxis (p = 0.03). HBsAg was detected in all eight clinical and in 13 of the 38 subclinical cases. In the remaining 25 subclinical cases HBV infections were diagnosed by the development of anti-HBc and anti-HBs during the follow-up period. Finally, all 46 cases studied cleared the HBsAg.
Roumeliotou
A
A
National Centre for Viral Hepatitis, Athens School of Hygiene, Greece.
Papaevangelou
G
G
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines