COMPLEXES BETWEEN HBSAG AND IGM IN SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH VIRAL HEPATITIS-B

Complexes between HBsAg [hepatitis B surface antigen] and IgM were searched for by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 53 sera from 12 individuals with acute type B hepatitis and in 54 sera from 9 hemodialysis patients with chronic type B hepatitis; all of them were followed retrospectively. In the 1st sample found to be HBsAg-positive, HBsAg/IgM complexes were detected in 5 of 12 patients with acute hepatitis and in only 1 of 9 with chronic hepatitis. During the 1st and 2nd mo. after the 1st detection of HBsAg, complexes were detected in 70.0 and 62.5% of sera from acute hepatitis, and in 55.6 and 50.0% of sera from chronic hepatitis. After this period, the complexes were detected in only 1 HBsAg+ serum from patients with acute hepatitis, but regularly in those from chronic carriers. The detection of such complexes was related to the titer of HBsAg, and was concomitant with the presence of anti-hepatitis B core antibodies during the first 2 mo. after the 1st detection of HBsAg.