An immunoperoxidase technic for the demonstration of the hepatitis B surface antigen in human livers.

A sensitive method for demonstrating the site of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in fixed tissues embedded in either paraffin or araldite is described. The method employs the peroxidase-rabbit antiperoxidase linkage through goat antirabbit to rabbit anti-HBsAg. In staining hepatitis antigen in agar, comparison of fixation (using three common fixatives) with unfixed precipitation arcs revealed no recognizable differences in antigenicity induced by fixation. The method allows confirmation of positive reaction by appropriate blocking controls. The technic is compared with the orcein stain of Shikata and found to be somewhat more sensitive but slightly more time-consuming.