Hepatitis B surface antigen in various liver diseases in Iraq

In a series of 221 patients with various liver diseases studied in Iraq using counterimmunoelectrophoresis and passive haemagglutination techniques, HBsAg was detected in 40.8 per cent of cases with acute viral hepatitis, in 40 per cent in cryptogenic cirrhosis, in 50 per cent in chronic hepatitis, in 100 per cent in active cirrhosis and 71.4 per cent in hepatoma. In acute hepatitis the antigenaemia was highest early in the course of the disease. The duration of antigenaemia ranged from three to 16 weeks. In 3.4 per cent of cases the antigenaemia persisted for more than 35 weeks. In 31.3 per cent of acute hepatitis there was no evidence of parenteral infection.