Imcrvirology 5: 225-232 (1975)
Dane Particles, DNA Polymerase, and e-Antigen in Two Different Categories of Hepatitis B Antigen Carriers E rik N o ro en felt a n d L ars K jellen Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Lund
Key Words. Hepatitis B antigen • Dane particles • e-antigen ■DNA polymerase activity Summary. Two different categories of hepatitis B antigen carriers have been investigated. One comprises patients treated with dialysis and known to be highly infectious. The other consists of blood donors found in routine screenings. Serum specimens have been studied with regard to Dane particles, Dane-core-associated DNA polymerase activity, and e-anligen. The two groups differed markedly in the aspects studied. The five healthy blood donors had no. or very few, detectable Dane particles and no detectable DNA polymerase activity; four of the five healthy donors had antibodies against e-antigen. The one sick donor and all six dialysis patients had many Dane particles and polymerase activity; five of the six dia lysis patients had e-antigen. Thus, these results further underline the difference between the two groups,and e-antigen and DNA polymerase activity could represent possible useful parameters forjudging infcctivity.
Received: March 17, 1975.
Downloaded by: King's College London 137.73.144.138 - 1/10/2019 3:32:37 PM
The usefulness of hepatitis B antigen (1TB Ag) in the epidemiological inves tigation of hepatitis B and as a tool for preventing the spread of the disease has been amply proven [I], The infectious agent has not yet been isolated, but investigations indicate that the so-called ‘Dane particle’ could prove to be the postulated hepatitis B virus (HBV) [2-5]. Dane particles are found in great amounts in some HB Ag-positive sera, but can be rare or even absent in others [6], The Dane particles have HB Ag reactivity on their surface (HB* Ag) and have a core with a distinct antigen (HBc Ag). Antibody to HBc Ag (anti-HB
Dane Particles, DNA Polymerase, and e-Antigen in Two Different Categories of Hepatitis B Antigen Carriers E rik N o ro en felt a n d L ars K jellen Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Lund
Key Words. Hepatitis B antigen • Dane particles • e-antigen ■DNA polymerase activity Summary. Two different categories of hepatitis B antigen carriers have been investigated. One comprises patients treated with dialysis and known to be highly infectious. The other consists of blood donors found in routine screenings. Serum specimens have been studied with regard to Dane particles, Dane-core-associated DNA polymerase activity, and e-anligen. The two groups differed markedly in the aspects studied. The five healthy blood donors had no. or very few, detectable Dane particles and no detectable DNA polymerase activity; four of the five healthy donors had antibodies against e-antigen. The one sick donor and all six dialysis patients had many Dane particles and polymerase activity; five of the six dia lysis patients had e-antigen. Thus, these results further underline the difference between the two groups,and e-antigen and DNA polymerase activity could represent possible useful parameters forjudging infcctivity.
Received: March 17, 1975.
Downloaded by: King's College London 137.73.144.138 - 1/10/2019 3:32:37 PM
The usefulness of hepatitis B antigen (1TB Ag) in the epidemiological inves tigation of hepatitis B and as a tool for preventing the spread of the disease has been amply proven [I], The infectious agent has not yet been isolated, but investigations indicate that the so-called ‘Dane particle’ could prove to be the postulated hepatitis B virus (HBV) [2-5]. Dane particles are found in great amounts in some HB Ag-positive sera, but can be rare or even absent in others [6], The Dane particles have HB Ag reactivity on their surface (HB* Ag) and have a core with a distinct antigen (HBc Ag). Antibody to HBc Ag (anti-HB
