Hepatitis a virus antibody in chronic diffuse liver disease.

175 patients with histological evidence of chronic diffuse liver disease, 67 patients with heart failure, diabetes and atherosclerosis, and 118 healthy adults under 30 years of age engaged in sports were studied for the prevalence of hepatitis A virus antibody (anti-HAV) by radioimmunoassay using a HAVAB (Abbott)-kit. Infection with hepatitis-A virus is highly prevalent in Hungary, anti-HAV having been demonstrated in a very high proportion of controls as well as of patients. Over the age of 40 the incidence is 100% in controls and 98% in patients with chronic liver disease. Infection with hepatitis-A virus must have been asymptomatic in the majority, since no more than 11.4% of the subjects had a history of acute hepatitis. The prevalence of acquired anti-HAV increases with age until it attains 100% in advanced age. The present results lend no support to the possibility that hepatitis-A virus infection might be involved in the production of chronic diffuse liver disease.