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Contrasting patterns and frequency of antibodies to the surface, core, and e antigens of hepatitis b virus in blood donors and in homosexual patients
Author(s) -
Tedder R.S.,
Cameron C.H.,
WilsonCroome Ruth,
Howell D.R.,
Colgrove Anne,
Barbara J.A.J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890060407
Subject(s) - virology , antibody , radioimmunoassay , antigen , titer , hepatitis b , incidence (geometry) , immunology , hepatitis b virus , virus , medicine , hepatitis , viral disease , physics , optics
An attempt was made to assess the significance of the relatively frequent low‐titre positive reactions in radioimmunoassays for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen. Serum specimens negative for surface antigen were assayed for antibodies to the surface, core, and e antigens of the Hepatitis B virus. Two populations were studied—one of low hepatitis B incidence (2000 blood donors) and one of high incidence (200 male patients attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases). The validity of some singly occurring low‐titre anti‐HBs and anti‐HBc reactions is questioned, and the occurrence of positive reactions unrelated to previous hepatitis B infection inferred.