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Immunologic Aspects of Hepatitis-Associated Antigen and Antibody in Human Body Fluids¹

From the Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14222

Abstract

Employing the techniques of immunoelectrophoresis and indirect immunofluorescence with smears of peripheral blood, we determined the presence of hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA) and anti-HAA antibody in concentrated specimens of serum, nasopharyngeal washings, urine, and fecal extracts from patients with icteric or asymptomatic HAA infection. Highest concentrations of HAA in the serum were demonstrable at the time of initial screening. HAA was detected in the nasopharyngeal washings and urine for a short period in a few subjects. All subjects manifested appreciable quantities of HAA in fecal extracts and the antigen persisted in the feces for as long as 4 months. Anti-HAA antibody response in the serum was characterized by infrequent appearance of small amounts of G antibody 2 to 3 months after the initial detection of antigen in the serum. No antibody activity was detected after 7 months. The response in the nasopharynx and urine was characterized by transient appearance of small amounts of A and infrequently of G class of antibody. The response in the fecal extracts was characterized initially by frequent appearance of HAA-anti-HAA complexes. Subsequently, appreciable levels of free A antibody to HAA were detected for as long as 8 months. It is suggested that HAA may replicate in various mucosal surfaces, and such a mechanism may explain the nonparenteral transmission of long incubation hepatitis.

Footnotes

¹ Presented in part at the annual meeting of the American Pediatric Society, May 25, 1972, Washington, D. C. This work was supported in part by grants from National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (AI-09769-03), General Research Support Funds from United States Public Health Service (50-8146-F), and Clinical Research Center Program (RR-628), Division of Research Resources, National Institutes of Health.

² Address reprint requests to Dr. Ogra, Division of Virology, Children's Hospital, 219 Bryant Street, Buffalo, New York 14222.