A large-scale survey on the prevalence of HBeAG and anti-HBe among asymptomatic carriers of HBV. Correlation with sex, age, HBsAG titre and s-GPT value.

During September and October of 1977, a total of 342,407 apparently healthy blood donors were screen for HBsAG by reversed PHA, and 6,342 (1.9%) asymptomatic carriers of HBV were identified. Prevalence of HBeAG and anti-HBe among HBV carriers was tested by our immunodiffusion method after serum samples had been concentrated threefold. The results were evaluated with reference to sex and age of donors, as well as HBsAG titre and s-GPT level in the serum. HBeAG was found slightly but significantly more often in male donors than in female donors (19.1 vs. 16.7%). In contrast, anti-HBe was found less frequently in males than in females (49.6 vs. 53.1%). Frequency of HBeAG decreased, while frequency of anti-HBe increased with age both in male and female carriers. The prevalence of HBeAG increased in parallel with the titre of HBsAG, whereas the prevalence of anti-HBe was approximately reciprocal to it. An abnormally high value of s-GPT (41 KARMEN U/ml or more) was found in 10.0% of the carriers with HBeAG, contrasting with 3.4% of those with anti-HBe.