title: Evidence of prior hepatitis B and hepatitis A virus infections in an ambulatory geriatric population.
abstract: Ninety-five randomly selected patients attending an ambulatory geriatric medical clinic were tested for the presence in their sera of hepatitis B surface antigen and of antibody to hepatitis B and A viruses. Such evidence of past hepatitis infection was correlated with current liver function and history of having received blood transfusions. The results showed that 94% of patients had antibody to hepatitis A virus, and 32% had antibody to hepatitis B virus. Patients with abnormal liver function tests, or those with a history of blood transfusions were no more likely to have hepatitis B antibody than patients with normal liver function tests or those with no history of transfusion.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens