Acute hepatitis B infection following blood transfusion.

摘要

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects more than 300 million people worldwide with approximately 160 000 people infected in Australia.1 With increasing migration from Asia and Africa where HBV is endemic, the number of people infected by HBV continues to increase, despite universal childhood vaccination. The spectrum of illness varies, leading to acute liver failure in 1% of cases.A 34-year-old, 26-week pregnant woman was admitted with a severe acute hepatitis. Physical examination revealed scleral icterus, no signs of chronic liver disease, no encephalopathy and a tender, smooth palpable liver of 14 cm in diameter. The patient and her husband both had negative hepatitis B (HBV) serology prior to the pregnancy.