Hepatitis B transmission in school contacts of retarded HBsAg carrier students.

A prospective study was performed to assess the rate of transmission of hepatitis B from mentally retarded carrier students to susceptible mentally retarded peer students or school staff. Eighteen hepatitis B carriers were integrated into a public school program for the developmentally disabled, and serum hepatitis B markers were monitored in staff and students over 14 months. During this time no susceptible staff acquired hepatitis B serologic markers. Of susceptible students, 1.8% demonstrated seroconversion, but the route of infection is likely to have been outside the classroom environment. The results indicate that the risk of hepatitis B transmission is low in this particular school program.