Determination of the antibody to hepatitis B e antigen by the inhibition on electrophoresis of free e antigen.
A new method is described for the rapid and sensitive detection of the antibody to hepatitis B e antigen (anti-HBe) in serum. Twenty-five microliters of the test serum were incubated with 10 microliter of the purified small 'free' e antigen, and then the consumption of the added antigen was detected by the failure to precipitate with standard anti-HBe in counter-electrophoresis. When a total of 444 serums from asymptomatic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen was tested for anti-HBe by this method, 348 (78.4%) were found to be positive with a detectability much higher than that of the passive hemagglutination method which detected the antibody in only 264 (59.5%) of the same serums.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003378:Counterimmunoelectrophoresis; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens