Interaction between HDV and HBV infection in HBsAg-chronic carriers.

We studied the interaction between HBV and HDV infection in 149 consecutive subjects with HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis and in 22 chronic HBsAg healthy carriers. Liver HBcAg was detected in 52 (30.4%) of the 171 subjects.

Influence of HDV infection on clinical, biochemical and histological presentation of HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis.

In an attempt to identify some characteristics of HDV infection in the different forms of HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis (CH), we evaluated numerous clinical, biochemical and histological aspects in 203 consecutive HBsAg positive CH patients. The presence of hepatitis delta antigen (HD-Ag) in the liver tissue was the criterion used to identify HDV infection. HD-Ag was observed in none of the 7 patients with non-specific reactive hepatitis, in 14.

Detection of two forms of HBeAg (free-and IgG-bound HBeAg) in patients with HBe antigenemia using staphylococcus bearing protein A.

Protein A-bearing Staphylococcus aureus organisms (STA) were used to separate free HBeAg from IgG-bound HBeAg. Free HBeAg was detected in the supernate while IgG-bound HBeAg could be liberated from the pellets using MgCl2 or a glycine buffer. HBeAg was determined by radioimmunoassay and the results expressed as patient's cpm/normal control's cpm ratio (S/N ratio).

Delta agent infection: an unfavourable event in HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis.

To investigate the clinical value of delta agent infection in HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis, we detected anti-delta antibody (anti-delta) in serum and delta antigen (delta-Ag) on sequential liver biopsies of nine patients with HBsAg-positive CPH and 45 patients with HBsAg-positive CAH without cirrhosis observed for at least 2 years. The initial group of patients with CAH was composed of 54 patients who were consecutively either left untreated or treated with 15 mg of prednisolone daily. Nine patients dropped out.