Detection of a non-A, non-B hepatitis associated substance in stools.

Investigation of stool samples (N = 2223) from 1377 persons revealed an antigen-like substance in the fecess of patients with clinically defined non-A, non-B hepatitis. Manifold investigation showed an intermittent excretion which correlated to the typical increases and decreases of transaminases in this disease. Positive results could be obtained by a randomized study in 30% of patients with NANB-hepatitis. Selected cases of sporadic and posttransfusion NANB-hepatitis showed an overall frequency of 50%. The test was predominantly negative in healthy persons and disease controls. The frequency of about 3% in fece cases was thought to be due to detection by chance.