Familial clustering of hepatitis B infection: study of a family.

ABSTRACT

Familial clustering of hepatitis B virus infection has been reported infrequently. We report a family of 27 members, where 13 members were HBsAg-positive. This included 7 of 10 members in one linear family across four generations. Nine subjects who were tested were HBeAg-negative. Of these nine, three subjects had elevated ALT; histology in one of them showed activity index <3. One subject received lamivudine therapy elsewhere; ALT levels returned to normal in two months.