The incidence of liver specific antigens in liver disease

Three soluble, liver-specific antigens were demonstrated in the sera of between 20 and 40% of patients suffering from liver related diseases; the pattern of distribution of these antigens in patients suffering from hepatitis A, hepatitis B, non-A non-B hepatitis and from glandular fever is described. Liver-specific antigens were also detected in approximately 10% of patients in whom no primary liver abnormality ws suspected but not in a control group of healthy individuals. Our results suggest that the appearance of liver antigens in the sera of patients suffering from specific diseases associated with abnormalities of liver function is inconstant and hence of no clinical value.