Clinical and immunological analysis of the co-occurrence of the HBsAg and anti-HBs

Abstract

We investigated the cases who were positive both HBsAg and anti-HBs in the sera clinically and immunologically. 1) 36 cases in 191 HBsAg positive subjects (18.8%) had anti-HBs in the sera simultaneously, although the anti-HBs of those were not detected by passive hemmaglutination method. 2) In HBs-Ag carriers, the case with chronic liver disease had higher rate of co-occurrence of HBsAg and anti-HBs (27 in 70, 38.6%) than that of asymptomatic carriers (9 in 117, 7.7%, p<0.005). 3) In co-occurrent cases, the titer of anti-HBs of chronic liver disease was significantly higher than that of asymptomatic carriers. 4) No differences were obtained from the analysis of the co-occurrent cases and another group about age, sex and the frequency of HBeAg and anti-HBe. 5) There was no differences in non-specific immune complexes between the co-occurent cases and another. HBsAg specific immune complex was detected more in co-occurrent cases than another (p<0.005). The cases with chronic liver disease had more non-specific and HBsAg specific immune complexes than asymptomatic carriers. According to these facts, immune complex seemed to be related to the pathogenesis or the consequences of viral hepatitis and the high incidence of liver disease in co-occurrent cases.