Australia (hepatitis-associated) antigen in patients attending a venereal disease clinic

A total of 1,650 patients attending the venereal disease department at St. Mary's Hospital, London, have been tested for Australia antigen. Twenty-three positive results were obtained, or 1.39%, which is more than 10 times the rate noted by others in blood donor populations in the U.K. and U.S.A. The positive rates among female patients and European male heterosexual patients were 0.36% and 0.19% respectively. High rates were obtained for homosexual patients (3.8%) and non-European heterosexual patients (3.1%). The reasons for the higher rates found in these groups merit further study.