title: Australia antigen: detection and transmission in shellfish.
abstract: Australia antigen was found in clams contaminated by drainage of untreated sewage from a coastal hospital. In closed-system aquariums, the antigen was ingested by clams and transmitted to previously uninfected clams. In opensystem aquariums, the titer of Australia antigen decreased with time, suggesting viral concentration rather than replication.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004199:Disease Vectors; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000382:microbiology*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens