Occurrence of viral hepatitis type B and type non-B in three patients.

Acute viral hepatitis type B was observed in three patients convalescing from hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag)-negative viral hepatitis. The two types of viral hepatitis were clearly differentiated by serial HBs Ag determinations with counterimmunoelectrophoresis and radioimmunoassay. These findings provide additional evidence of the lack of cross-immunity between the two types of viral hepatitis and indicate that patients with HBs Ag-positive and HBs Ag-negative acute viral hepatitis should be separated.