Abstract
To study the clinical significance of HBeAg seroconversion, we determined blood HBV markers in anti-HBe positive hepatic diseases. 1) In 19 cases of B-type acute hepatitis in which HBsAg had become negative, the anti-HBc antibody level according to the IAHA method was 210 or below in all these cases. Thus, if judgement is only based on HBsAg and anti-HBc, HBsAg negative and anti-HBc below 210 would be criteria for judging a cure. 2) On the other hand, in 55 cases of chronic hepatitis positive for anti-HBe, there were 23 cases (41.8%) positive for HBsAg and with an anti-HBc antibody titre above 211. Of 38 cases with cirrhosis of the liver, 11 cases (28.9%) showed similar findings and it was assumed that these cases had not been cured of HBV infection. 3) Therefore, in 23 cases with HBe antibody positive chronic hepatitis, when DNA-P and HBV-DNA were determined, only one case (4.3%) was positive for both these factors, but 7 cases (30.4%) were positive only for HBV-DNA. 4) Following seroconversion, in 3 cases of anti-HBe continuously positive chronic hapatitis for at least 3.5 years, a rise in transaminase was observed repeatedly 4 or 5 times and in each of these cases, the anti-HBc titre was high and transient positive periods of HBV-DNA and DNA-P were also observed. From the above facts, if anti-HBe is positive and HBV-DNA or DNA-P become negative, this alone cannot be a basis for judging a cure. For judging a cure of HBV infection, the HBsAg must become negative and the anti-HBc must become negative and their titres must be lower than 210.
