Difference of subtypes of hepatitis B surface antigen between asymptomatic carriers and patients with chronic liver diseases.

Subtypes of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were studied in 20 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers and 18 HBsAg-seropositive patients with chronic hepatitis or live cirrhosis. Among them 25 were university students. In the male university students, subtypes adw was found to be significantly higher in asymptomatic HBsAg carriers than in patients with chronic hepatitis (p=0.04). The difference in subtypes of HBsAg between male asymptomatic carriers and male patients with liver disease was further confirmed by the combined results of university students and other subjects (p=0.007).