Use of the cross-reactivity between hepatitis B and non-A, non-B viruses for the identification and detection of non-A, non-B 'e' antigen.

The morphological similarities between B and non-A, non-B hepatitis viruses prompted the search for common antigenic determinants between the two agents. Major antigenic cross-reactivity was demonstrated by immunodiffusion between hepatitis B e/3 and the most common circulating antigen previously reported in the serum of patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis. Since it is the equivalent of an e antigen, this antigen will be hereafter referred to as non-A, non-B/e antigen. Screening with hepatitis B e/3 antigen or anti-hepatitis B e/3 by immunodiffusion may be used as an easy and efficient way to test for non-A, non-B hepatitis in the absence of specific reagents since it detected up to 91% of non-A, non-B antigen and 86% of anti-non-A, non-B/e. Antigenic cross-reactivity may be used to look for additional viruses belonging to the hepatitis B group.