[Hepatitis B surface antigen in the liver and pericholedochal lymph nodes in chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver].

Morphological characteristics of the liver and the presence of HBsAg in the blood serum, liver tissue, and pericholedocheal lymph nodes were examined in 25 patients with chronic liver diseases and 2 asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg. The antigen in tissues was demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence and histochemically by staining with alcohol-arsein and aldehyde-fuxin. The antigen was found in the blood, liver tissue, and hepatocyte cytoplasm in both carriers and 10 patients. In 5 patients with liver cirrhosis and HBsAg antigenemia the antigen was also found in the liver tissue, in 1 patient it was absent in the blood but found in the liver, and in 2 patients it was absent in the blood and in the liver. In 5 patients with chronic hepatitis the antigen was demonstrated in the blood serum and the liver, in 12 patients it was not detected either in the blood or in the liver. In 8 patients enlarged pericholedocheal lymph nodes were examined, and in 6 of them HBsAg was detected in macrophages of the lymph nodes.