Biomaterial Database

Hepatitis B surface antigenaemia: incidence and significance in Zambian blood donors. 1979

G V Gill, and A E Fimls

Forty-eight (5.0%) of 966 healthy Zambian blood donors were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) when tested by the turkey erythrocyte passive haemagglutination (TEPHA) method. Twenty-six were investigated in detail, but only one blood donor was found to have liver disease, and this was thought unlikely to be causally related to HBsAg (alcohol-induced fatty infiltration). It is recommended however, that blood donors should be screened for HBsAg. Positive individuals should be rejected but their serum tested for aspartate transaminase (AST), and, if elevated, a liver biopsy performed. This ideal policy is not practicable in all tropical hospitals.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D001782	Blood Donors	Individuals supplying blood or blood components for transfer to histocompatible recipients.	Blood Donor,Donor, Blood,Donors, Blood
D002353	Carrier State	The condition of harboring an infective organism without manifesting symptoms of infection. The organism must be readily transmissible to another susceptible host.	Asymptomatic Carrier State,Asymptomatic Infection Carrier,Inapparent Infection Carrier,Presymptomatic Carrier State,Presymptomatic Infection Carrier,Super-spreader Carrier,Superspreader Carrier,Asymptomatic Carrier States,Asymptomatic Infection Carriers,Carrier State, Asymptomatic,Carrier State, Presymptomatic,Carrier States,Carrier, Super-spreader,Carrier, Superspreader,Carriers, Super-spreader,Carriers, Superspreader,Inapparent Infection Carriers,Infection Carrier, Asymptomatic,Infection Carrier, Inapparent,Infection Carrier, Presymptomatic,Presymptomatic Carrier States,Presymptomatic Infection Carriers,Super spreader Carrier,Super-spreader Carriers,Superspreader Carriers
D005260	Female		Females
D006386	Hemagglutination Tests	Sensitive tests to measure certain antigens, antibodies, or viruses, using their ability to agglutinate certain erythrocytes. (From Stedman, 26th ed)	Hemagglutination Test,Test, Hemagglutination,Tests, Hemagglutination
D006509	Hepatitis B	INFLAMMATION of the LIVER in humans caused by a member of the ORTHOHEPADNAVIRUS genus, HEPATITIS B VIRUS. It is primarily transmitted by parenteral exposure, such as transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products, but can also be transmitted via sexual or intimate personal contact.	Hepatitis B Virus Infection
D006514	Hepatitis B Surface Antigens	Those hepatitis B antigens found on the surface of the Dane particle and on the 20 nm spherical and tubular particles. Several subspecificities of the surface antigen are known. These were formerly called the Australia antigen.	Australia Antigen,HBsAg,Hepatitis B Surface Antigen,Antigen, Australia
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D015024	Zambia	A republic in southern Africa, south of DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO and TANZANIA, and north of ZIMBABWE. Its capital is Lusaka. It was formerly called Northern Rhodesia.	Northern Rhodesia,Rhodesia, Northern,Republic of Zambia