Posttransfusion hepatitis B transmitted by blood from a hepatitis B surface antigen-negative hepatitis B virus carrier.
A female blood donor at our institution was implicated in three cases of clinical posttransfusion hepatitis B. She had given blood 25 times in 8 years. Twenty-seven recipients were followed up, and about one-half of those who were still living had serologic markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The donor was repeatedly negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody, but she had high titers of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. We conclude that blood from this HBsAg-negative blood donor was capable of transmitting hepatitis B.
Larsen
J
J
Blood Bank, Ullevaal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Hetland
G
G
Skaug
K
K
D001782:Blood Donors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens