The risk of nosocomial hepatitis A and B virus infections from patients under care without isolation precaution

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Abstract
The risk of nosocomial viral hepatitis cross‐infection was investigated in a prospective study of 248 adult patients hospitalized in the Infectious Diseases Hospital of Athens for acute viral hepatitis. They were followed‐up clinically, biochemically, and serologically for 100 to 250 days after admission to the Hospital. Commercially available radioimmunoassays were used for the detection of the surface antigen of HBV (HBsAg), its antibody (Anti‐HBs), the antibody to the core of the HBV (Anti‐HBc), and the IgG and IgM antibodies to the HAV. Clinical, biochemical, or serological indications of hospital cross‐infection were not detected in any of the 21 susceptibles to HAV infection or among the 46 susceptibles to HBV infection during the follow‐up period, although all of them had ample opportunity for cross‐infection through close contact to acutely ill patients. These data provide further evidence that HBV and HAV are not easily transmitted from patients hospitalized for acute viral hepatitis to other susceptible patients sharing wards, and indicate that there is need for reconsideration of the present strategy of hospitalization and care of acutely ill viral hepatitis patients.

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