Distribution and characteristics of hepatitis B surface antigen in body fluids of institutionalized children and adults.

Specimens of blood, feces, urine, and nasopharyngeal washings collected at regular intervals from subjects in an institutionalized population were tested for the presence of hepatitis B surface (HBS Ag) and antibody by passive hemagglutination, radioimmunoassay, and immune electron microscopy. HBS Ag, confirmed by radioimmunoassay and immune electron microscopy, was frequently detected in nasal washings, urine, and feces of chronic carriers of HBS Ag and occasionally in subjects with recent seroconversion for HBS Ag. In addition, some subjects who had recently become positive for antibody to HBS Ag in serum had HBS Ag transiently present in urine and occasionally in the feces, without demonstrable antigenemia.