[Seroepidemiological study of hepatitis B virus x antigen (HBxAg) and anti-HBx antibodies in patients with hepatitis B].

A total of 437 patients with hepatitis B were tested for serum HBxAg and anti-HBx in a seroepidemiological study. It was shown that the HBxAg positivity rate was 3.66% (16/437), the anti-HBx positivity rate was 2.97% (13/437). HBxAg was most frequently present in HBsAg, HBeAg, and anti-HBc positive, but anti-HBe negative sera. Anti-HBx was most frequently present in HBeAg and anti-HBc positive, but HBsAg and anti-HBe negative sera. Both the presence of HBxAg and anti-HBx antibodies showed no significant relationship with the presence of serum anti-HBs antibodies. These results indicated that serum HBxAg/anti-HBx system was related to the replications of HBV in the HBV infected human body, and anti-HBx were not protective antibody.