title: Hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody in asymptomatic blood donors.
abstract: Seventy-two volunteer blood donors who had hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBS) were studied and compared with 115 carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAg). Anti-BHS-positive donors gave a history of greater possible exposure to hepatitis B virus, there was a lower male-female ratio, and they had a much lower frequency of abnormal hepatic function test results. Those who were positive by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP), which indicated a high titer of antibody (greater than 1:2,000 as measured by passive hemagglutination assay [PHA], also had an ethnic origin similar to that of the donor panel, ie, predominantly Canadian and northern European. The HBSAg carriers, on the other hand, had a high frequency of origin from Mediterranean and Far Eastern countries. Low-antibody-titer (positive PHA but negative CIEP) donors had ethnic origins that more closely approximated those of HBSAg carriers.
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001782:Blood Donors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D003378:Counterimmunoelectrophoresis; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006387:Hemagglutination, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens