[The presence and significance of HBe antigens and anti-HBe antibodies in HBs antigen positive patients].

There have been examined 105 sera of HBeantigen carriers, 30 of patients with chronic persistent hepatitis, 17 of patients with active hepatitis and 30 of HBeantigen-positive patients on chronic hemodialysis) for the presence of HBeantigen and antiHBe antibodies. A high percentage of HBeantigens was found in patients with chronic active hepatitis (88,2%) as well as in patients on chronic hemodialysis (86,7%) while the finding of antiHBeantigen in these two groups was low, 11,8% and 3,3%, respectively. The presence of HBeantigen in other two groups was lower, 26,7% in patients with chronic persistent hepatitis and 28,5% in patients with asymptomatic HBe antigenemia.

[Study of endemic nephropathies].

Clinical and microscopic investigations in the kidneys of patients with endemic nephropathy have revealed alterations in the epithelial cells of glomeruli and in the epthelium of nephron segments, and thickening of the basal membranes. These changes have been studied from the viewpoint of distrubances in filtration and reabsorption, and indicate that the primary alterations occur in the glomeruli, i.e.