Serum immunoglobulin levels in hepatitis-B antigen-positive and hepatitis-B antigen-negative acute hepatitis.

IgG, IgA and IgM levels were measured in the serum of 73 patients with hepatitis-B antigen-positive (virus-B) acute hepatitis and 48 patients with hepatitis-B antigen-negative (virus-A) hepatitis. The mean serum IgM level on admission was significantly higher in virus-A than in virus-B hepatitis (p less than 0,01), and remained so for 2-3 weeks. However, the overlap between the individual figures in the two forms of the disease was so great as to make the estimation of little diagnostic value. The mean serum IgG and IgA levels at the time of admission were not significantly different in the patients with and without hepatitis-B anti-genaemia.