title: [Prognosis and epidemiology of acute hepatitis B infection].
abstract: 44 patients with acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were observed until recovery and formation of anti-HBs or in case of development of chronic infection for up to 18 months. With the exception of 3 patients the infection resolved clinically within 3 to 16 weeks, HBs and HBe antigen were eliminated. Anti-HBs and anti-HBe formation could be demonstrated in 39 patients. An accurate prognosis of the course of the disease could be predicted in 42 out of 43 patients by comparison of the serum HBs antigen concentrations at the beginning of clinical symptoms with those after 4 weeks. Inclusion of HBe antigen demonstration enabled predictability in all patients. In 15 patients with acute HBV infection the risk of infection (occupational exposure, transfusion etc.) was known. By investigation of contact persons (family members, sex partners etc.) of the remaining patients HBs antigen und partly HBe antigen in serum could be demonstrated in 11.8% of these persons (11 out of 93). In contrast, in contact persons of patients with known risk of infection HBs antigen could be demonstrated in only one case (1 out of 36). No one of the HBs antigen positive contact persons was aware of the possibility of infectiousness. They did not perceive any connection between their own chronic infection and acute HBV infection occurring around them.
mesh_terms: D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000637:Transaminases
vernacular_title: Prognose und Epidemiologie der akuten Hepatitis-B-Infektion.