1 Division of Blood and Blood Products, Bureau of Biologics, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, and the Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
Sera from 95 adolescents were examined for markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. HBV markers were found in eight adolescents (8%) and evidence of previous HAV infection was found in 18 adolescetits (19%); none had a history of clinically recognizable hepatitis. These findings support the growing evidence that HBV and HAV infections are diseases of the pediatric age group, amid that testing of HBV vaccines when they become available for patient use will have to include a pediatric population.
Submitted on January 30, 1978