title: Hepatitis B virus transmission in nursery schools.
abstract: To determine whether transmission of hepatitis B virus occurs among children in nursery schools, from 1979 to 1982, 269 children (mean age 2.9 +/- 1.4 years) attending five nursery schools in which there were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier children were tested for hepatitis B markers. Fifteen children (5.6%) were positive for HBsAg. Ten were possibly infected with hepatitis B in nursery school by HBsAg carrier children with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). Four became HBsAg carriers and six developed transient antigenemia. Three other children were positive for the immunoglobulin M class of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen but negative for HBsAg. It is possible that they too were infected with hepatitis B in schools. These observations indicate that hepatitis B transmission most probably occurs among children in nursery schools in which there are HBsAg carriers with HBeAg, and therefore vaccination of susceptible children is necessary.
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State; D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens