e-Antigen and Anti-ein Two Categories of Chronic Carriers of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen

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Abstract
Screening for e antigen and anti-e was performed in 517 HBsAg [hepatitis B surface antigen] chronic carriers, 329 blood donors and 188 hemodialyzed patients. Antigen e was detected in 35 blood donors (10.6%): 88% had a high titer of HBsAg, and 80% had disturbed liver function. No difference was noted regarding sex and age of the carrier. Anti-e was detected in 33.7% of the blood donors. A significant difference (P < 0.01) was noted between males (29%) and females (46.6%). Anti-e was more prevalent in young people between 21 and 34 than in older people (P < 0.05). Anti-e was rarely found when the titer of HBsAg was low or high. Of the anti-e carriers, 88% had an intermediate titer from 1/1-1/32 by CEP [counterelectrophoresis]. Both e Ag and anti-e were more prevalent in ad subtype than in ay subtype (P < 0.02 for both). Inside the ad subtype, anti-e is less frequent in adr (6%) than in adw2 (42%) and in adw4 (57%); P < 0.01. The difference between the prevalence of e Ag in adr (31%) and in adw2 (17%) is not significant but the healthy carriers with e antigen are more numerous in adr than in adw2 subtype. Antigen e was detected in 53.7% of HBsAg-hemodialyzed patients and anti-e in 3.7% of these patients. These results are neither correlated with the liver function nor with the state of chronic carrier (27% of e Ag in transient HBsAg carrier).