Hepatitis B antigens and antibodies in asymptomatic carriers and in chronic liver diseases.
88% of asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and 97% of HBsAg positive patients with chronic hepatitis or non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis showed high titers of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). A high titer of anti-HBc, thus suggested to be an indicator of persistent hepatitis B virus infection, was found rarely in seronegative patients with chronic hepatitis, non-alcoholic cirrhosis, or alcoholic liver diseases. It was not revealed in idiopathic portal hypertension or Budd-Chiari syndrome. In asymptomatic HBsAg carriers of 20--29 years of age, hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) was significantly more frequently found in males than in females. There were differences in sex ratio, age, and history of blood transfusion between B type and non-B type of chronic hepatitis and non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis.
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens