[Infection by hepatitis B virus among expatriates]

Anti-Hbs antibodies have been sought in 545 expatriates having a total sojourn in endemic areas of 3,340 years. The results permit evaluating the frequency of contaminations in endemic areas at 1 for 175 year-expatriates, while it is 1 for 700 year-subjects in the not-expatriate group. This risk seems to justify vaccination against hepatitis B of persons who are to be assigned for long periods in endemic areas.