Common idiotypic determinant associated with human antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen.

Anti-Id antisera generated to purified anti-HBs isolated from two different individuals recognized a common idiotype. This idiotype was detected in purified anti-Hbs preparations from three individuals and also in anti-HBs-positive sera obtained from six hemophilic patients. The ability of both HBsAg and a virus-derived HBsAg native polypeptide to inhibit the idiotype-anti-idiotype reaction suggested that the anti-HBs idiotype was associated with the antibody-combining site.