[Detection of anti-idiotypic antibody specific for anti-HBs in HBsAg positive serum]

An ELISA for detecting anti-idiotypic antibody specific for anti-HBs(anti-anti-HBs, Ab 2) was devised and used to detect twenty-three asymptomatic HBsAg positive sera. Of these HBsAg positive samples, five were positive for anti-anti-HBs. Three anti-anti-HBs positive samples and two anti-anti-HBs negative samples were checked by immune electron microscopy (IEM). Non HBV particles were found in the anti-anti-HBs positive samples, but the particles were seen in one of the anti-anti-HBs negative samples. According to the immune networks theory, the anti-anti-HBs with the characteristic of HBsAg internal can mimic HBsAg and bind to anti-HBs(Ab 1), so that the anti-anti-HBs may interfere the routine detection of HBsAg and results in false positive. The data described above demonstrated the existence of this consideration. The authors suggested that samples with HBsAg positive, especially those from asymptomatic carriers should be detected for anti-anti-HBs in order to rule out the interference of anti-anti-HBs.