Current concepts in viral hepatitis.

A great deal of interest and speculation has arisen from the discovery of a specific antigen, Australia antigen, in the serum of a high proportion of patients with viral hepatitis. This antigen has been found also in the serum of some patients with other conditions, including Down's syndrome, leukemia, leprosy, chronic renal disorders, and chronic active liver disease. It is not found in the serum of normal persons.