[Australia antigen and porphyria cutanea tarda]

In 40 patients suffering from porphyria cutanea tarda the sera were examined for the existence of HBAg and HBAb. Hepatitis was known in the history of 6 patients, in 3 of 23 bioptically examined livers a chronic aggressive hepatitis could be proved. When the transmigration electrophoresis after Pesendorfer and coworkers was used, in no case HBAg and HBAb could be proved.