Relation of e antigen to hepatitis B virus infection in an area of hyperendemicity.

A study of the e determinant of hepatitis B surface antigen in an area of hepatitis B hyperendemicity revealed that the presence of e antigen or of antibody to e in the sera of individuals was specifically related to evidence of past or present infection with hepatitis B virus. Among asymptomatic long-term carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen, presence of the e antigen was associated with elevated levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases in serum; this observation suggested that the e antigen might be a marker for persisting hepatic dysfunction. Higher levels of DNA polymerase found in carriers of the surface antigen with e antigen suggested that these individuals might have a higher level of circulating Dane particles and thus, perhaps, a higher level of hepatitis B virus infectivity.