title: Incidence and significance of antibodies to delta antigen in hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: A microtitre solid-phase blocking radioimmunoassay (RIA) for antibody to the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated delta antigen was specific and detected anti-delta antibody at dilutions of serum of up to 10(6). Analysis of sera from HBsAg-negative subjects and different categories of HBsAg carriers from different regions confirmed the association of anti-delta antibody with HBV infection. Anti-delta antibody was detected in persistently high titres in 19.1% and 2.6% of sera from patients with chronic hepatitis and symptomatic chronic carriers, respectively, and was not detected in the sera of HBsAg-negative controls. Anti-delta antibody appeared transiently and in low titres (less than 1:500) in 4.8% of sera from patients with acute type B hepatitis. The presence and persistence of anti-delta antibody seem to be associated with chronic HBV infection and the development of progressive liver damage.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007564:Japan; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens