Biomaterial Database

Dental care and spread of hepatitis B virus infection. 1978

A Tzukert, and S G Sandler

Sera from 576 healthy adults were tested for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody (anti-HBs) to evaluate the role of routine dental care as a factor in the spread of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Serological evidence of prior HBV infection, manifested by acquisition of anti-HBs, was detected in 97 (16.8%) individuals, and 6 (1.0%) were identified to be asymptomatic HBsAg carriers. The anticipated correlations of HBsAg and anti-HBs with age, country of birth, and socioeconomic status were observed in the study population. However, prevalences of both HBsAg and anti-HBs were inversely related to the lifetime total of dental care visits. These findings indicated that, in a region in which the HBsAg carrier state and hepatitis B are prevalent, routine dental care is not identified as an important factor in the spread of HBV infection. While the results do not exclude the obvious possibility that cross-infections with HBV may occur during dental care in specific situations, they indicate that this mode of infection is exceptional.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007557	Israel	A country in the Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon. The capital is Jerusalem.
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
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
D003729	Dental Care	The total of dental diagnostic, preventive, and restorative services provided to meet the needs of a patient (from Illustrated Dictionary of Dentistry, 1982).	Care, Dental
D005260	Female		Females
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
D006510	Hepatitis B Antibodies	Antibodies to the HEPATITIS B ANTIGENS, including antibodies to the surface (Australia) and core of the Dane particle and those to the "e" antigens.	Anti-Australia Antigens,Anti-HBAg,Anti-Hepatitis B Antigens,Anti HBAg,Hepatitis B Virus Antibodies,Anti Australia Antigens,Anti Hepatitis B Antigens,Antibodies, Hepatitis B,Antigens, Anti-Australia,Antigens, Anti-Hepatitis B,B Antibodies, Hepatitis,B Antigens, Anti-Hepatitis,HBAg, Anti
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