[Hospital-acquired hepatitis type B. Report of 6 cases (author's transl)]

Seroconversion was observed in 6 patients, indicating an infection with hepatitis virus B. All of these patients had been hospitalized with HBAg-positive persons a few weeks before, 5 of them because of acute hepatitis type A. While seroconversion was followed by acute hepatitis in 4 cases, the infection remained clinically silent in the other two patients. The second periods of illness were no attacks of relapsing hepatitis type A, as was indicated by HBAg. Vice versa superinfection of hepatitis B-patients with hepatitis virus A may occur, as is discussed in another case. Acute hepatitis is often transmitted in hospitals. Infective routes are discussed and means are described, by which is attempted, to reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired hepatitis.