Hepatitis B antigen (HBAg) and its antibody (HBAb) in hospital patients.
Sera from 5171 inpatients have been tested for HBAg and HBAb during the 18-month period ending in December 1972. The incidence of HBAg (0.116%) was similar to that in blood donors (0.119%) in the same area, being tested for the first time by the same technique. By contrast the incidence of HBAb in patients (0.271%) was significantly higher than in donors (0.103%). A possible mode of infection was identified in three of six HBAg-positive patients and in seven of 12 HBAb patients. None of the positive patients was regarded as ;high risk' when admitted to hospital. The study thus emphasizes the need to regard all specimens as potentially infective.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007565:Jaundice; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens