[The "e" antigen system in HBs antigen carriers (author's transl)]
- PMID: 103075
[The "e" antigen system in HBs antigen carriers (author's transl)]
Abstract
Antigen e and its antibody were sought by radial immunodiffusion in 86 carriers of HBs antigen observed over a period of one year. The antigen was found in 3 cases out of 30 with acute viral hepatitis, 11 cases out of 33 with chronic active hepatitis, 1 case out of 6 with chronic persistent hepatitis and 1 out of 6 healthy carriers. It was not found in the serum of 6 patients with fulminating hepatitis. The presence of antigen e is associated with high titers of circulating HBs antigens (p less than 0,001). In this group, no difference in the course of the disease was found in cases of chronic active hepatitis with HBs antigen, according to the presence or absence of antigen e or its antibody.