Fulminant hepatitis B in successive female sexual partners of two anti-HBe-positive males.

In two separate families, consecutive, unrelated female sexual partners of a symptom-free, male, HBsAg-positive carrier died of fulminant hepatitis B. Although one man was HBeAg positive on the first occasion, both men were considered of low infectivity, being anti-HBe positive, negative for serum DNA polymerase activity, and negative for serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA when their second partners presented with fulminant hepatitis B. By means of molecular hybridisation techniques, both men were found to have HBV DNA (3.2 kb) in seminal fluid, sputum, saliva, peripheral blood leucocytes, and liver.