Relation of e antigen to infectivity of hBsAg-positive inoculations among medical personnel.

Hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive blood which contained e antigen, when accidentally inoculated into medical personnel, resulted in hepatitis B or an anti-HBs response in 60% compared to 31% when e antigen was not detected in the inoculum. e antigen was detected in 74% of inocula sustained on chronic renal dialysis and transplantation units compared to 20% on other services and the resultant incidence of hepatitis B varied accordingly--i.e., 22% and 6% respectively. Tests for e antigen can identify the relative infectivity of groups of HBsAg carriers; technical improvements should result in valuable applications to individual cases.