Source of infection due to hepatitis B virus in Greece.

The possible source of infection due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) was investigated in 260 hospitalized adult patients with acute infections. Blood transfusions (30 patients, 11.5%), illicit drug use (16 patients, 6.2%), homosexuality (five patients, 1.9%), and possible iatrogenic transmission (77 patients, 29.6%) accounted for less than 50% of the cases of hepatitis. Thirty (29.4%) of 102 sexual partners were the most probable source of infection of the patients; three (2.9%) had a history of acute HBV infection two to six months before their partners were admitted to the hospital, and the remaining 27 (26.5%) were characterized as asymptomatic, chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The HBsAg carrier rate was higher in men (47.5%) than women (12.9%) and in unmarried (31.6%) than married (25.3%) sexual partners. Hepatitis B e antigen and abnormal serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels were detected more frequently in sexual partners who were HBsAg carriers (29.6% and 48.1%, respectively) than in comparable control partners (2.6% and 5.4%, respectively).