The nosocomial and occupational hepatitis type B infection in a chest disease hospital. A prospective study.

The results of a prospective study of hepatitis B infections among the patients of a Chest Disease Hospital are reported. A thousand and sixteen patients admitted during the twelve months study period were screened for the Hepatitis B(Surface)-Antigen(HBsAg) on admission and during the stay and were kept under epidemiological surveillance for six months following the discharge. The HBsAg prevalence was 3.54% on admission and the cumulative infection rate during the follow up period was 12.64 per 100 patients. The HBsAg prevalence on admission was significantly higher in males than in females, the susceptibility to infection found in the course of the study was in both sexes similar. The majority of infections was inapparent with the ratio of 8.6:1 of inapparent to clinically manifested forms. The incidence of viral hepatitis among the personnel was comparable to the incidence among the personnel of other hospital departments.

Hepatitis B (surface) antigen and viral hepatitis in family contacts of acute hepatitis B patients.

The results of a follow up study among family contacts of acute hepatitis B patients are reported. The family members were tested for HBsAg in the time of hospitalization of the index case and after three months again, the families were kept under epidemiological surveillance for six months. 19 (4,54%) out of the 418 persons screened for the first time were HBsAg-positive. The highest prevalence of HBsAg-positive persons was found in the families of patients without history of parenteral exposure. 5 (1%) of family contacts were hospitalized from 2 to 4 months following admission of the index case. All were the spouses of index case patients and none of them had other history of parenteral exposures than blood sampling for purpose of this study. 2 (0,58%) cases of silent antigenaemia were found among the 344 persons examined at the second screening.