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PERIOD OF INFECTIVITY OF PATIENTS WITH HOMOLOGOUS SERUM JAUNDICE AND ROUTES OF INFECTION IN THIS DISEASE.
1Section of Preventive Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is infectious during the acute phase of illness, as demonstrated by serum transmission in volunteers. However, ingestion of infectious serum or feces did not transmit the disease, suggesting specific transmission routes for serum jaundice.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Homologous serum jaundice, now known as Hepatitis B, is a significant public health concern.
- Understanding transmission routes is crucial for prevention and control strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the infectivity of serum and fecal samples from patients with homologous serum jaundice.
- To determine the transmission potential via parenteral inoculation and ingestion.
Main Methods:
- Serum and fecal samples were collected from patients during different stages of homologous serum jaundice.
- Samples were administered to human volunteers via parenteral inoculation or ingestion.
- Disease development was monitored in volunteers to assess infectivity.
Main Results:
- Serum from the acute, pre-icteric phase was infectious upon parenteral inoculation (3/4 volunteers).
- Serum collected later in the incubation period showed reduced infectivity (1/4 volunteers).
- Ingestion of infectious serum or acute-phase feces did not result in disease transmission.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis B virus is highly infectious via parenteral exposure during the acute phase.
- Transmission is unlikely through ingestion of contaminated serum or feces.
- Findings differ slightly from those of infectious hepatitis, highlighting distinct transmission dynamics.
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