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OCCURRENCE OF HEPATITIS B‐SURFACE ANTIGEN IN A CONSECUTIVE MATERIAL OF 1539 LIVER BIOPSIES
Author(s) -
Thomsen Per,
Clausen Per Prætorius
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
acta pathologica microbiologica scandinavica series a :pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0108-0164
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1983.tb02728.x
Subject(s) - hbsag , immunoperoxidase , orcein , medicine , cirrhosis , hepatitis , staining , pathology , liver biopsy , hepatitis b , liver disease , biopsy , gastroenterology , hepatitis b virus , immunology , antibody , virus , monoclonal antibody
The frequency and occurrence of hepatitis B‐surface antigen (HB s Ag) in 1539 consecutive liver biopsies were determined using orcein staining as screening method. In HB s Ag seropositive cases sections were in addition stained with immunoperoxidase staining for HB s Ag in order to reassure the presence of HB s Ag in liver cells. HB s Ag was demonstrated in 36 biopsies (2.3%). The highest frequency was found in biopsies with chronic hepatitis (28%). In biopsies with slight non‐specific changes 10% and in cirrhotic 4.5% contained HB s Ag. HB s Ag was not detected in biopsies with acute hepatitis. No correlation was found between the number of HB s Ag containing cells in the biopsies and the histological/biochemical activity in the liver. It is concluded that orcein staining of ground‐glass appearance is a highly specific HB s Ag marker. The sensitivity is about 80% in cases with minimal changes, chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. The method is unsuitable as etiological marker in cases with acute hepatitis.