![Sample our Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Allied Health journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5944/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Medicine-Dentistry-Nursing-Allied-Health.jpg"})
Abstract
Serum samples from 39 patients with hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg) were studied for presence of e-antigen. 21 patients had HBsAg transiently and 18 were carriers of HBsAg for 14 months or more. All serum samples from the 18 carriers reacted in the e-antigen system; 16 individuals had e-antigen and 2 had anti-e. In contrast, only 3 of the 21 patients with transient HBs-antigenemia were found to have e-antigen. The clinical course of 31 of the 39 patients was followed from the acute stage. All of the 18 patients who did not develop e-antigen became free from symptoms within 13 weeks. In the remaining 13 patients e-antigen was found and 10 became chronic HBsAg-carriers; 4 with biopsy-verified chronic hepatitis and 6 with biochemical findings consistent with this diagnosis.