Subtypes of Australia Antigen among Patients and Healthy Carriers in Copenhagen

Abstract

The D (ad +, y-) and Y (ay +,d-) subtypes of Australia antigen were determined in 199 antigen-positive patients with various liver diseases and 23 healthy carriers. In 183 consecutive patients with biopsy-verified acute viral hepatitis, the antigen was the Y subtype in 79 per cent and the D subtype in 21 per cent. A similar subtype distribution was found in patients with biopsy-verified chronic hepatitis and persistent antigenemia. In contrast, all 10 patients with cirrhosis and all the healthy carriers had antigen of the D subtype. A striking epidemiologic difference was found, in that 98 per cent of the drug addicts had the Y subtype, whereas the D subtype predominated in the "sporadic" cases. The acute disease in the 183 patients with acute hepatitis was more severe in the group of patients with antigen of the D subtype, as judged by both histologic and biochemical criteria.