Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus by Artificial Insemination
- William R. Berry, MD;
- Ray L. Gottesfeld, MD;
- Harvey J. Alter, MD;
- John M. Vierling, MD
- From the Departments of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Denver Veterans Administration Medical Center (Drs Berry and Vierling); the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Rose Medical Center, Denver (Dr Gottesfeld); and the Immunology Section, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md (Dr Alter).
Abstract
Although the capacity for transmission of hepatitis B infection by semen is well recognized, the potential for transmission by artificial insemination remains theoretical. Currently, screening of semen donors for hepatitis B virus infection is not standard practice. We saw a case of acute viral hepatitis B in a woman following artificial insemination with semen from a donor subsequently found to be positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Both the donor serum and semen contained HBsAg and hepatitis B e antigen, and the HBsAg subtype was identical to that of the patient. Documentation of hepatitis B virus transmission by artificial insemination indicates that HBsAg screening of semen donors should be routine practice.
(JAMA 1987;257:1079-1081)
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to Gastroenterology Division 111E, Veterans Administration Medical Center, 1055 Clermont St, Denver, CO 80220 (Dr Vierling).
