e-Antigen in patients with transient and chronic carriership of hepatitis B antigen

Serum samples from 39 patients with hepatitis B antigen (HBSAg) were studied for presence of e-antigen. 21 patients had HBSAg transiently and 18 were carriers of HBSAg for 14 months or more. All serum samples from the 18 carriers reacted in the e-antigen system; 16 individuals had e-antigen and 2 had anti-e. In contrast, only 3 of the 21 patients with transient HBS-antigenemia were found to have e-antigen. The clinical course of 31 of the 39 patients was followed from the acute stage. All of the 18 patients who did not develop e-antigen became free from symptoms within 13 weeks. In the remaining 13 patients e-antigen was found and 10 became chronic HBSAg-carriers; 4 with biopsy-verified chronic hepatitis and 6 with biochemical findings consistent with this diagnosis.