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Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Menstrual Blood and Semen
Author(s) -
Ayoola E. A.,
Odelola H. A.,
Ladipo O. A.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1002/j.1879-3479.1980.tb00277.x
Subject(s) - hbsag , semen , medicine , nigerians , sexual intercourse , hepatitis b , sexual transmission , immunology , obstetrics , hepatitis b virus , andrology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , population , virus , microbicide , environmental health , political science , law
There is considerable epidemiologic evidence that hepatitis B surface antigen (HB s Ag) may be transmitted sexually. With the reverse passive hemagglutination method, HB s Ag was found in six (12%) of 50 male and four (8%) of 50 female Nigerians attending a family planning unit. HB s Ag was detected in samples of semen in three (6%) male HB s Ag carriers and in menstrual blood in four (8%) female carriers. Five (10%) women admitted to having sexual intercourse during menstruation. The presence of HB s Ag in blood or semen does not appear to influence the sperm density or motility index. It is suggested that sexual intercourse may be one of the routes of HB s Ag transmission in Nigeria.