Hepatitis B Antibody in Conventional -Globulin

Abstract

Recent lots of conventional γ-globulin prepared from the plasma of outdated blood collected from voluntary donors in Massachusetts contain substantially more antibody (anti-HB_s) to the hepatitis B surface antigen (HB_s Ag) than do lots manufactured from plasma collected before 1970. Variations in titer of anti-HB_s, may have been related in part to local variations in the incidence of hepatitis B. However, data available since 1949 suggest that one must consider whether antibody excess (anti-HB_s ) or antigen excess (HB_s Ag) prevailed among individuals contributing to the plasma pools. The titers of anti- HB_s have continued to rise since 1971, when screening of blood donors for HB_s Ag became mandatory, a step which presumably resulted in the removal of much of the HB_s Ag that would otherwise adsorb anti-HB_s. The anti-HB_s, titer in γ-globulin routinely produced in Massachusetts now equals or exceeds the titer in other lots of γ-globulin found to be effective in recent studies of preexposure prophylaxis of hepatitis B.