Different Fates of Hepatitis B Virus Markers during Plasma Fractionation

Abstract
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and associated particles, e antigen (e Ag) and DNA polymerase are unevenly distributed during Cohn''s cold ethanol fractionation of [human] plasmas positive for these markers of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Most of the e Ag, Dane particles and DNA polymerase are retained in fraction III; the bulk of HBsAg is recovered in fraction IV where only 22 nm spheres and short filaments are still identified. Differences in quantitative distribution of HB virions together with alteration of infectious particles during the fractionation process may, in addition to heat inactivation, account for the relative hepatitis risk of the various plasma derivatives.