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American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 104, No. 3: 256-262
Copyright © 1976 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

research-article

ANTIBODY AGAINST THE HEPATITIS TYPE B CORE ANTIGEN

A NEW TOOL FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES1

WOLF SZMUNESS2, JAY H. HOOFNAGLE, CLADD E. STEVENS and ALFRED M. PRINCE

New York Blood Center New York, NY 10021

2Dr. Szmuness, Laboratory of Epidemiology, The New York Blood Center, 310 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021

Four random samples representing populations at low (volunteer blood donors), intermediate, (VD clinic patients), high (family contacts of chronic antigen carriers) and very high (male homosexuals) risk of exposure to HBV were surveyed. Among HBsAg and anti-HBs negative individuals an average of 3.3% were found to be anti-HBs positive, and among those with anti-HBs. 19.4% were anti-HBc positive. Anti-HBc, with concurrent anti-HBs and without, was detected more frequently in the high risk samples than in the low risk. Individuals with a past history of acute viral hepatitis were more frequently anti-HBc positive than those without such a history, and anti-HBc positivity was frequently accompanied by serum transaminase elevation. Anti-HBc may persist for many years after an episode of acute hepatitis. In households of carriers, the highest frequency of anti-HBc was observed among spouses, which would argue for the possibility of sexual transmission. A significant excess of females with both types of antibody was observed in families of carriers. Anti-HBC determinations in conjunction with other HBV markers, provide a useful new tool for epidemiologic studies.

antibodies; carrier state; hepatitis; hepatitis B antigen

1Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute of the New York Blood Center, The Columbia University School of Public Health, New York, NY, and the Bureau of Biologics, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, MD.


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