1977 Volume 18 Issue 8 Pages 540-547
Eighty-six patients with HBsAg positive liver disease were subjected for e antigen and e antibody detection. Two of 8 patients with acute hepatitis (25%), 12 of 26 patients with chronic active hepatitis (46%) and 6 of 37 patients with cirrhosis (16%) were positive for e antigen. None of 3 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis and of 12 patients with hepatoma demonstrated e antigen. GOT, TTT and γ-globulin levels were higher in chronic hepatitis patient with e antigen than in those without it. Greater histological changes were also found in e antigen positive patients. e Antigen were more frequently detected in patients with high HBsAg titer, especially in those showing 1: 512 or higher HBsAg titer by reverse passive hemagglutination. No correlation between age and the frequency of e antigen detection was observed. A case of acute type B hepatitis with transient e antigenemia attained complete recovery. This case suggested that demonstration of e antigen was not necessarily a marker of development
