[HBs-antigen induced extrahepatic immune-complex disease (author's transl)].

A 62-year old patient was hospitalized with fever, polyarthritis and exanthema. All bacteriological, virological and biochemical findings were normal. The immunological analysis showed initially the HBs-antigen in the serum. No irregular antibody was found. Chemotherapy was failing, but application of corticosteroids was followed by a dramatic improvement. Nine weeks after the onset of the disease the patient was healthy again. Antibodies against HBs-antigen were found 3 months later. The data suggest an immune-complex disease like serum sickness based on an infection with hepatitis-B-virus without involvement of the liver.