Detection of Hepatitis-Associated Antigen and Anti-HAA

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Abstract
A highly sensitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) is compared to counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CEP) in detection of hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA) and antibody in healthy adults, volunteer blood donors, and patients with acute and chronic liver disease. Three hundred twentysix sera were screened. Counterimmunoelectrophoresis failed to demonstrate HAA in any of the 100 control subjects and 105 volunteer donors, whereas RIA revealed a 1% and 2% incidence, respectively. In the same two groups, RIA demonstrated a 10% and 21% incidence of anti-HAA; only one of these subjects had anti-HAA by CEP. Radioimmunoassay approximately doubled the rate of detection of antigen in parenterally transmitted, sporadic, and chronic active hepatitis. Hepatitis-associated antigen, when found in chronic persistent hepatitis, was present in large amounts and detectable by both techniques.