Radioimmunoassay of hepatitis b antigen and antibody in dialysis and transplant patients.
57 dialysis patients, 29 of whom had been exposed to hepatitis in 1968-69, were re-examined for hepatitis B antigen (HB-Ag) and antibody (HB-Ab) by means of radioimmunoassay (RIA) and counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE). Infected patients were followed for five years. Compared to CIE, RIA did not detect additional HB-Ag-positive patients, but antibody could persistently be detected in seven out of fifteen patients previously supposed to have escaped infection. tnine surviving HB-Ag-positive transplant patients remained carriers for 50-72 months. None developed clinical signs of chronic hepatic failure.
D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D000906:Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens