title: Rate of chronicity and time of disappearance of HBsAg following acute hepatitis B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic hepatitis B is associated with significantly increased risk of developing cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. It's, therefore, important to understand the incidence and risk factors associated with chronicity following acute hepatitis B.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 863 acute hepatitis patients admitted consecutively to the hospital, 320 with serum immunoglobulin M antibody to hepatitis B core antigen were classified as acute hepatitis B. Of these patients, serum samples were collected 3 and 6 months after clinical onset.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete follow-up was achieved in 240 patients and 11 (4.6%) became chronic carriers. Only alcohol addiction other than epidemiological, clinical or biochemical parameters was found to be significantly associated with chronic evaluation. In serum samples collected from 205 of 240 patients 3 months after the onset of infection, hepatitis B surface antigen clearance was observed in 181 (88.3%). Number of patients increased to 194 (94.6%) at the end of 6 month and both of these rates were found to be highly significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is still no certain way of predicting the outcome of acute hepatitis B whether a newly infected patient will resolve the illness or not. Alcohol addiction seems to have an impact on the chronicity but additional research is needed.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine Izmir, Turkey. ziya.kuruuzum@deu.edu.tr
authors: Ziya
authors: Z
authors: Kuruüzüm
authors: Onur
authors: O
authors: Ozgenç
authors: Ayla
authors: A
authors: Havuk
authors: Ayten
authors: A
authors: Coşkuner
authors: Alpay
authors: A
authors: Ari
authors: Nida
authors: N
authors: Celenkoğlu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens