Australia (Hepatitis-Associated) Antigen in Patients Attending a Venereal Disease Clinic

A microbiological study of non-gonococcal proctitis in passive male homosexuals

“…Five patients (3%) were found to be HBsAg positive, a figure compatible with those of other studies (Jeffries et al, 1973;Lim et al, 1977). Although proctitis is not a reported manifestation of hepatitis B virus infection, it is believed that the presence of proctitis might predispose to the infection, especially as the virus may be found in semen.…”

Oral sex and the transmission of viral STIs

“…Hepatitis B positivity has been known to be more frequent in STD clinic attenders, homosexual men, and prostitutes for many years, [78][79][80] and is commoner in patients with more sexual partners or a past history of STI in both homosexual [81][82][83] and heterosexual groups. 83 Antigen has been found in both semen and saliva, 84 and also in faeces, 85 although this has not been confirmed by all investigators.…”

Some observations on the epidemiology and transmission of hepatitis B.

“…In 1973 several studies were reported from London (Fulford et al, 1973;Heathcote and Sherlock, 1973;Jefferies et al, 1973) describing the relationship of sexual practices and infection with hepatitis B virus. For example, our own investigation at the Middlesex Hospital (Fulford et al, 1973) showed that the frequency of HbsAg and its antibody was 10 times greater in the sera of patients attending the clinic for sexually transmitted diseases than in a control group of blood donors attending a blood transfusion centre in north London.…”