Specific detection of hepatitis B surface antigen utilizing chimpanzee and guinea pig antibodies in a solid-phase...

The test involves a primary incubation of sample in polystyrene tubes coated with avid guinea pig anti-HBs serum followed, after washing, by a secondary incubation with immunopurified I125 chimpanzee anti-HBs. The system was found to be suitable for automation of washing and counting. The Hebria kit eradicated the non-specific positives obtained in those tests employing antibody from only one animal species and had third generation sensitivity (35 positives out of 50 samples) with the U.S. hepatitis B reference panel No. 2. Dilution analysis of both antigen subtypes showed that Hebria was as sensitive as Ausria II. By absorbing monospecific guinea pig antisera prior to coating, the kit showed greater than 10-fold discrimination between the ad and ay antigen subtypes while retaining high sensitivity. The kit could also quantitate and subtype anti-HBs in plasma samples.