[Determination of alpha fetoproteins in patients infected with virus B and C. Preliminary report]

The presence of detectable levels of aFP was investigated through RIA in 78 serum samples classified as follows: 32 samples from healthy volunteers (group A), 15 anti-HCV positive sera, 19 samples from HBV Chronic carriers (Group B), and 12 sera from a group of anti-core positive individuals, (Group C). Increased aFP levels, upper to the calculated maximal limit (Above 2.6 ng/ml) were detected in 2 individuals from Group A, in 2 HCV positive sera and in 6 HBV chronic carriers. None of the Group C demonstrated increased aFP value. Two B positive sera with augmented aFP activity showed significantly elevated values of this protein 13 and 20 fold upper than maximal limit. In Venezuela, aFP levels the HBV chronic carriers do not appear to be comparable to the reported values in HBV hyper-endemic countries. The need to analyze aFP values in normal groups is emphasised.