Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancements and Challenges in Hepatitis B Virus Detection
Published on: December 15, 2023
Detecting hepatitis B virus in surgical smoke emitted during laparoscopic surgery
Han Deok Kwak1, Seon-Hahn Kim2, Yeon Seok Seo3
1Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Background:
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission is known to occur through direct contact with infected blood. There has been some suspicion that the virus can also be detected in aerosol form. However, this has never been directly shown. The purpose of this study was to sample and analyse surgical smoke from laparoscopic surgeries on patients with hepatitis B to determine whether HBV is present.
Methods:
A total of 11 patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic abdominal surgeries between October 2014 and February 2015 at Korea University Anam Hospital were included in this study. A high efficiency collector was used to obtain surgical smoke in the form of hydrosol. The smoke was analysed by using nested PCR.
Results:
Robotic or laparoscopic colorectal resections were performed in 5 cases, laparoscopic gastrectomies in 3 cases and laparoscopic hepatic wedge resections in another 3 cases. Preoperatively, all of the patients had positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). 2 patients had detectable HBsAb, and 2 were positive for hepatitis B e antigen. 3 patients were taking antihepatitis B viral medications at the time of the study. The viral load measured in the patients' blood was undetectable to 1.7×108 IU/mL. HBV was detected in surgical smoke in 10 of the 11 cases.
Conclusions:
HBV is detectable in surgical smoke. This study provides preliminary data in the investigation of airborne HBV infection.
