Hepatitis B and the HB-SAg carrier. An outbreak related to sexual contact

Abstract

Within six months, acute viral hepatitis, type B, developed in three individuals associated with a nursing home in Denver. This attack rate, 1.4 cases per 100 patients and employees, was apparently higher than the reported incidence of hepatitis B in Denver during the same period. Parenteral inoculations could not be implicated as the means of acquiring hepatitis B. However, two of the hepatitis patients had had sexual contact within six months before their illness with an employee who was an insulin-dependent diabetic and a symptomatic carrier of HB-Sg. In addition, anti-HB-S antibodies were detected in his homosexual roommate. Although the chronic carrier was a food-handler, a seroepidemiologic survey of the employee population showed no spread of HB-Sag by means of food or casual contact. Only 1 (4.6%) of 22 employees tested had anti-HB-S antibodies. These results suggest that household and, in particular, sexual contact with a symptomatic HB-SAg carrier may be an effective nonparenteral or inapparent parenteral mode of transmitting HB-SAg.

Transmission of hepatitis B to chimpanzees by hepatitis B surface antigen-positive saliva and semen

“…DISCUSSION There is considerable inferential evidence suggesting that HBV may be transmitted by routes other than percutaneous inoculation. This evidence includes: (i) the failure to elicit a history of blood transfusion or other percutaneous inoculation in a large proportion of patients hospitalized with type B hepatitis (14); (ii) the intrafamilial spread of HBV infection (19); (iii) the transmission of HBV among unrelated sexual partners (25); (iv) the prevalence of anti-HBs among volunteer blood donors, which suggests a minimal hepatitis B infection rate in the United States of 7 to 14% (5, 11); and (v) the very high prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBs among institutionalized patients (18) and among populations of low socioeconomic status (3). These observations are further supported by the finding of HBsAg in body fluids other than blood (7,13,23) and by the association of HBsAg-positive saliva and/or semen with transmission of HBV in several epidemiological investigations (17,21,25).…”

Sexual Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infections Among Male Transvestite Comercial Sex Workers in Montevideo, Uruguay

“…Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are among those viruses that may lead to severe chronic infections and sequelae. Infection with HBV is known to be an important sexually transmitted disease; [1][2][3][4][5][6] approximately 50% of infections are thought to be acquired by sexual contact. 7 Perinatal transmission represents an additional efficient route of infection.…”

Diagnosis and management of chronic liver disease in older people

“…46 Possible sources include sharing bath brushes and razor blades. 47,48 Only 0.9% of over-65-year-olds have been vaccinated against HBV compared with 21% in the 35-to 44-year-old age group. 45 Immunization could be recommended for all care home residents, but the response to the vaccine is significantly reduced in older people.…”