Lack of leukocyte migration inhibition by hepatitis B antigen and normal nonspecific immunoreactivity in asymptomatic carriers.

The immune response to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBS Ag) was studied in 25 asymptomatic carriers by the leukocyte migration-inhibition (LMI) test in agarose. In the presence of purified HBS Ag, inhibition was demonstrated in only four of 25 carriers, in contrast to 24 of 28 patients who cleared the antigen after acute infection with hepatitis B. Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) was also used as an antigen for the LMI test in these carriers.

[Hereditary hypogranular thrombocytopathic thrombocytopenia. Ultrastructural study of a megakaryocytopathy (author's transl)].

The ultrastructure of megakaryocytes and blood platelets has been studied in 3 members of a Swiss family, in which a haemorrhagic diathesis of varying degree occurred in at least three generations. Blood platelets show an extremely low number of dense granules, slightly increased mean diameter and irregular distribution of glycogen in unusually large clusters. The number of megakaryocytes in bone marrow is normal.