Immunological aspects of HBs antigenemia in patients with hematological malignancies.

HBsAg positive sera of 70 patients with lymphoproliferative disorders were tested for hepatitis Be antigen (HBEAg) and antibodies to hepatitis B virus serum immunoglobulins: IgG, IgM and IgA were measured systematically in the whole group before and after acquisition of HBV infection. Sera of 37 patients with neoplastic disorders and of control group were also tested for antibodies to rubella virus (LRV). HBeAg was found in serum of 2 asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg, anti-HBs in serum of 2/70 patients who eliminated HBsAg from their serum within 3 months, anti-HBc were found in serum samples of all transient or persistent HBsAg positive patients. Substantial rise of IgG concentration was determined in the whole infected group irrespective of the clinical course. The percentage of patients without anti-RV was lower in HBsAg positive than in HBsAg negative patients. The differences in reactions to RV between cancer patients and control group were not significant. General impairment of humoral immunity or more specific defects are discussed as factors determining relative or absolute deficiency of anti-HBs and persistence of HBsAg in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders.