title: Rapid clearance of HBe antigen and development of anti-HBe antibody in acute viral hepatitis.
abstract: The behaviour of the HBe/anti-HBe system in AVH was evaluated, using Magnius technique, by testing serum samples from 47 patients; 29 of them were followed during the clinical evolution of the disease until complete remission was achieved. HBe was more frequent in samples taken from patients in the first 7 days after the onset of jaundice (18/33 = 54%) than in samples collected later (3/14 = 21%). During the clinical evolution of the disease we could always demonstrate the disappearance of HBe not later than 12 days after the onset of jaundice. In one patient studied from the incubation period HBe disappeared before any clinical or laboratory evidence of disease. In 8/29 cases (27%) anti-HBe developed starting from the 15th day of illness, but 4 of these had had no detectable HBe during the acute phase. No significant difference could be demonstrated between HBe +ve and -ve cases in the maximum values of SGPT and bilirubin and the duration of the disease. The changing pattern of the HBe/anti-HBe system could account for the different incidences of these markers reported by many authors in AVH. Our findings support the hypothesis that HBe develops in every HBsAg +ve AVH case. Therefore, it is not the presence of HBe in the early stage, but the persistence of this marker that might be important in predicting progression to chronicity.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin