Persistence of hepatitis B e antigen for a long period after the clearance of hepatitis B surface antigen.

Four-hundred and seventy-eight hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers were followed for more than 60 months. In thirty-six cases the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was cleared from serum during the observation period. In one case hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) was detectable for more than 66 months even after the appearance of antibody against hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs). HBeAg was detected not only by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), but also by reversed passive haemagglutination (RPHA) method which has been believed to be far less sensitive than RIA or ELISA tests. HBV DNA was demonstrated in the serum even after the appearance of anti-HBs. Therefore, it is suggested that HBV (Dane particles) remains or reappears intermittently in the serum after seroconversion of HBsAg antigenaemia to anti-HBs complexes.