title: Antibody to the hepatitis B virus-associated delta-agent in immune serum globulins.
abstract: Fifty lots of immune serum globulin prepared by four United States manufacturers between 1944 and 1977 were tested for the presence and titer of antibody to the hepatitis B virus-associated delta-agent. Anti-delta was detected in 28 of the 50 lots (56%) of immune serum globulin at titers ranging from 1:10 to 1:400. Anti-delta was present in 75% (6 of 8) of lots produced between 1962 and 1965, in 77% (17 of 21) produced between 1967 and 1970, in 45% (5 of 11) produced between 1971 and 1972 and in none (0 of 9) produced since 1973. A single lot of globulin prepared from plasma that was collected in 1944 from United States Army soldiers also contained detectable anti-delta. These data indicate that delta-infection has been occurring among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers in the United States since the 1940s. The decrease in prevalence of anti-delta in immune serum globulin lots coincided with the start of routine HBsAg screening of blood and plasma. The elimination of HBsAg-positive units from plasma pools has reduced levels of HBsAg and anti-delta and should have decreased the risk of transmission of both type B hepatitis and delta-hepatitis by plasma products.
mesh_terms: D001782:Blood Donors; D004340:Drug Contamination; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D010949:Plasma / Q000276:immunology; D011786:Quality Control; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D014461:Ultracentrifugation / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins