Hepatitis B and the Health Worker: Prospective Studies in Perspective
Authors: HARVEY J. ALTER
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1976)

Editorials1 November 1976Hepatitis B and the Health Worker: Prospective Studies in PerspectiveHARVEY J. ALTER, M.D.HARVEY J. ALTER, M.D.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-85-5-671 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe superbly conducted study of Snydman and colleagues in this issue (p. 573) is a model epidemiologic investigation. In a well-designed and systematic manner, these investigators have documented the bidirectional transmission of hepatitis B—from patient to hospital staff and from staff to patient. They have provided some of the best evidence to date that, under particular circumstances, the HBsAg-positive health worker may represent a hepatitis risk to his patient contacts.These findings again raise the many complex issues that center on HBsAg-positive health workers, the hepatitis risk they represent, and the measures, if any, that must be taken in the...References1. GARIBALDIRASMUSSENHOLMES RCA: Hospital-acquired serum hepatitis. JAMA 219:1577-1580, 1972 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. LEVINMADDREYWANDS MWJ: Hepatitis B transmission by dentists. JAMA 228:1139-1140, 1974 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. ALTERCHALMERSFREEMAN HTB: Health care workers positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Are their contacts at risk? N Engl J Med 292:454-457, 1975 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. WILLIAMSPATTISONBERQUIST SCK: Dental infection with hepatitis B. JAMA 232:1231-1233, 1975 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. MAGNIUSLINDHOLMLUNDIN LAP: A new antigen-antibody system. Clinical significance in long-term carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen. JAMA 231:356-359, 1975 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. NORDENFELTKJELLEN EL: Dane particles, DNA polymerase, and e-antigen in two different categories of hepatitis B antigen carriers, lntervirology 5:225-232, 1975 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. KRUGMANHOOFNAGLEGERETY SJR: Viral hepatitis, type B: DNA polymerase activity and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. N Engl J Med 290:1331-1335, 1974 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byCurrent Strategies for Managing Providers Infected with Bloodborne PathogensSHEA Guideline for Management of Healthcare Workers Who Are Infected with Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, and/or Human Immunodeficiency VirusManagement of Healthcare Workers Infected with Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or Other Bloodborne PathogensClinical relevance of postmortem microbiologic examination: A reviewDetection of serum HBV-DNA by molecular hybridisationDetection of Hepatitis B Virus DNA Directly in Human Serum by a Simplified Molecular Hybridization Test: Comparison to HBeAg/ Anti-HBe Status in HBsAg CarriersAnalysis of Liver Disease, Nuclear HBcAg, Viral Replication, and Hepatitis B Virus DNA in Liver and Serum of HBcAg Vs. Anti-HBe Positive Carriers of Hepatitis B VirusCLUSTER OF HEPATITIS B TRANSMITTED BY A PHYSICIANThe risk of hepatitis B transmission from staff to patients in hemodialysis units–-an overrated problem?An Outbreak of Hepatitis Bina Dental PracticeSTEPHEN C. HADLER, M.D., DAVID L. SORLEY, M.D., KATHLEEN H. ACREE, M.D., HANNAH M. WEBSTER, R.N., CHARLES A. SCHABLE, M.S., DONALD P. FRANCIS, M.D., JAMES E. MAYNARD, M.D.Hepatitis B from Medical Professionals: How Rare? How Preventable? 1 November 1976Volume 85, Issue 5Page: 671-672KeywordsEpidemiologyHepatitisHepatitis AHepatitis BProspective studies ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 November 1976 PDF downloadLoading ...