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Long‐term immune reactivity to pre‐S(2)‐antigen after acute hepatitis B infection
Author(s) -
Heijtink Rudolf A.,
de Wilde Gerrie A.,
van Hattum Jan,
Schalm Solko W.
Publication year - 1989
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.1890270205
Subject(s) - virology , antigen , immune system , term (time) , immunology , hepatitis b , medicine , physics , quantum mechanics
We investigated sera from 39 patients, taken 1–8 years after recovery from acute hepatitis B for anti‐pre‐S(2) by Western blotting and for anti‐HBs by radioimmunoassay. Anti‐pre‐S(2) antibodies were found in 27 out of 39 sera (69%) with the highest frequency in sera with anti‐HBs > 100 IU/I (92%). However, sometimes sera with low anti‐HBs titres showed a strong response in Western blotting. Acute hepatitis sera were also investigated from a limited number of patients (n = 14). Antipre‐S(2) antibodies were found during antigenaemia (four out of six patients) and within 3 months after the maximum of alanine amino transferase (ALAT) (seven out of ten patients). Anti‐pre‐S(2) is an early antibody. It remains in the circulation for many years similar to but independent of anti‐HBs.