HBsAg-positive Swedish blood donors: natural history and origin of infection.
99 HBsAg-positive blood donors (BDs) were discovered in Göteborg during 1970-84. Of the 82 patients where the outcome is known 46 had transient and 36 persistent antigenemia. Chronic hepatitis was found in 6 patients while 30 were asymptomatic carriers. Three BDs had died, 1 of them from cholangiocellular cancer. An obvious mode of transmission was demonstrated for 19 BDs, i.v. drug abuse being the most frequent one. Five BDs originated from countries with a known high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Family contacts of the remaining carriers had serological markers for HBV in the following frequencies: mothers 46%, siblings 39%, fathers 25%, children 13%, spouses 10%. Only children of female carriers had markers for HBV infection. Intrafamiliar transmission during childhood is an important route of transmission even in a country with low HBV endemicity and amongst people without connection with endemic regions. This population may be susceptible to the consequences of a long-term carriership of HBV.
Lindberg
J
J
Department of Infectious Diseases, East Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Lindholm
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013548:Sweden
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens