title: Antibodies to single stranded DNA: a diagnostic aid in chronic hepatitis B virus infections.
abstract: Serial determinations of titers of binding antibodies to single stranded DNA were performed over a period of three years in 43 type B hepatitis patients with persisting HBsAg who had either developed chronic hepatitis or were asymptomatic carriers. Patients with histopathological diagnosis of chronic active or chronic persistent hepatitis, with or without clinical symptoms, showed high titers of anti-DNA throughout the course of the disease, whereas in most of these patients the serum alanine transaminase and bilirubin levels fluctuated widely and were often normal; in such cases the elevation of anti-DNA was frequently the only positive sign present. On the other hand anti-DNA titers were within the normal range in chronic asymptomatic HBsAg carriers who showed no histopathological or biochemical changes. Anti-DNA determinations are proposed as a reliable diagnostic aid to supplement current procedures for assessment of the disease status during the course of chronic hepatitis B virus infections.
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000276:immunology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin