An Acupuncture-Associated Outbreak of Hepatitis B in Jerusalem

Two clusters of between five and eleven cases of hepatitis B associated with acupuncture treatment by a physician occurred in Jerusalem in late 1986. The origin of the outbreak is believed to have been an Ethiopian immigrant surgical patient, a known HBsAg carrier, who infected an operating room nurse during a surgical procedure. This is the first recorded instance of transmission of HBV from an Ethiopian immigrant to the local Israeli population. We reiterate the need for the enforcement of correct sterilization techniques in all skin-piercing settings, a step which in many countries will require the licensing of a variety of occupations not presently covered by health regulations.