title: Female to male transmission of hepatitis B virus between Chinese spouses.
abstract: Three hundred thirty-seven community-based spouses were tested for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers to assess the direction of HBV transmission between couples. The prevalence rate of HBV infection among husbands whose wives were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive was higher compared with those whose wives were HBsAg-negative. Moreover, the frequency of HBV seropositivity among husbands was 100% if their wives carried HBeAg and showed a trend correlation (P = .009). The prevalence difference was 13.8%, and the 95% confidence interval (95% Cl) was 7.9-19.7% after adjusting for spouses' age. In contrast, HBV infection rate of wives did not show an association with the husbands' HBsAg or HBeAg carrier status. The prevalence difference was 7.1%, but 95% Cl was -2.5-16.8% after adjusting for spouses' age. Female to male transmission of HBV between spouses appears to be more efficient.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000635:transmission*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens