Hepatitis B virus transmission in a public school: effects of mentally retarded HBsAG carrier students.

Abstract

In 1980, 18 institutionalized children, carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV), were enrolled into two special education schools, and staff and students were monitored for HBV markers. Eleven HBV exposures were observed and those exposed were given hepatitis B immune globulin. After 3.5 years, no remaining staff showed serological evidence of HBV infection but three of 61 susceptible students did so. The three students probably acquired the infection outside the school. At the conclusion of the project, one