Serum immunoconglutinin titers during acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Sera from 99 chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, 12 individuals with acute type B hepatitis, 26 hepatitis B surface antibody-seropositive subjects, and 50 hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B surface antibody-seronegative subjects were evaluated for the presence of serum imunoconglutinis (IKs). The mean serum IK titers of hepatitis B surface antibody-seropositive and hepatitis B virus-seronegative subjects wre 5.3 and 4.9, respectively. The IK titers of subjects with acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infections were 215.4 and 19.1, respectively. These groups also manifested IK titers greater than or equal to > 16 significantly (P < 0.005) more often than controls did. Among chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, high IK titers were associated with low levels of hepatitis B surface antigen. IK titers of individuals chronically infected with hepatitis B virus and having the rheumatoid factor were similar to those of individuals without the rheumatoid factor. Elevated IK titers represent a physiological autoimmune response and may indicate the presence of immune complexes in acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infection.