title: A new antigen-antibody system. Clinical significance in long-term carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen.
abstract: A new antigen-antibody system was recently described in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAG(-positive sera. Despite indications of heterogeneity in specificity, the designations "e antigen" and "e antibodies" are used for the system as such in this articly. E'IGHT OF 17 long-term carriers of HBSAg with a histological picture of chronic persistent hepatitis or chronic aggressive hepatitis carried the e antigen, while none had demonstrable e antibodies in serum. Ten of 12 healthy carriers with e antibodies were blood donors who had donated 95 units of blood; none of these carriers was associeated with a reported case of posttransfusion hepatitis. In five individuals in the incubation stage of hepatitis B, e antigen appeared simultaneously with HBSAg but before the rise in transaminase levels. This finding further links e antigen to hepatitis B.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001782:Blood Donors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D000939:Epitopes; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013997:Time Factors; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D000637:Transaminases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase