Is the Use of the Term ‘Posttransfusion Hepatitis Type B’ in Its Conventional Sense Still Justifiable?1

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Abstract
Eight cases of clinically manifest hepatitis type B said to be posttransfusion hepatitis were investigated. Paired samples of serum from all 54 blood donors implicated were drawn at the time of the donation in question as well as a few months later. Only 1 donor, negative for HBsAg [hepatitis B surface antigen] but positive with high titer for anti-HBc [hepatitis B core antigen], could have been a possible source of infection. There is strong evidence that this person is a chronic low level carrier. In the case of 2 other patients, transmission of hepatitis by clotting factors from pooled plasma cannot be denied. Regarding the remaining 5 cases, there is no hint whatsoever for a causal connection between blood transfusion and hepatitis type B.