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Letters

Several assays show hepatitis B positivity soon after vaccination

BMJ 1998; 316 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.316.7127.311a (Published 24 January 1998) Cite this as: BMJ 1998;316:311
  1. B C Dow, Acting directora,
  2. H Munro, Medical laboratory scientific officer 2a,
  3. D Frame, Associate specialistb,
  4. P Yates, Consultantc
  1. a Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Microbiology Reference Unit, Glasgow and West of Scotland Blood Transfusion Service, Law Hospital, Carluke, Lanarkshire ML8 5ES
  2. b Glasgow and West of Scotland Blood Transfusion Service,
  3. c Aberdeen and North East Scotland Blood Transfusion Service, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB9 2ZW

    Editor—The advent of the latest generation of assays for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) has been accompanied by a rise in the number of blood donors found to be positive for the antigen. Specific neutralisation has confirmed that these donors are HBsAg positive, but testing for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and for e antigen (HBeAg) and antibody has invariably proved fruitless. Such a serological pattern of reaction only to HBsAg is generally explained by a very early acute infection …

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