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Hepatitis‐Associated Antigen and Antibody in Swedish Blood Donors: Relation to Liver Disease 1
Author(s) -
Iwarson S.,
Lindholm Annika,
Lundin P.,
Hermodsson S.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/j.1423-0410.1972.tb04637.x
Subject(s) - antibody , antigen , medicine , immunology , immunodiffusion , hepatitis , chronic liver disease , liver disease , gastroenterology , cirrhosis
. Screening of sera from 11,100 blood donors with an immunodiffusion method showed the presence of hepatitis‐associated antigen (HAA) in 0.18% of the donors, and anti‐HAA antibodies likewise in 0.18% of the donors. The antigen was found more often in men, while antibodies were demonstrated at a higher frequency in women. HAA was not found in any of the oldest donors (48–60 years), but anti‐HAA antibodies were demonstrated in 0.31% of the oldest donors. The noted differences, however, were not statistically significant. 25 donors with HAA and 15 with antibodies were followed 4–12 months. Most of the HAA‐positive donors (92%) had demonstrable antigen during the entire follow‐up period, and some of these chronic antigen carriers (17%) had histopathological or biochemical signs of chronic liver disease. Presence of anti‐HAA antibodies in serum was not associated with biochemical or histopathological abnormalities.