Peripheral rosette forming cells with SRBC-AET in type B acute viral hepatitis.

Peripheral E-rosette forming cells (E-RFC) have been enumerated in 15 patients with type B acute viral hepatitis (AVH-B) using sheep red blood cells pretreated with 2-aminoethylisothiouronium bromide (SRBCAET). Percentages of E-RFC in mononuclear cells (MC) preparations obtained during the acute stage of the disease were not different from those in normal controls. Patients re-assayed in the resolving period of AVH-B universally showed significantly reduced values of E-RFC compared to the acute phase values. Defective rosetting with SRBCAET may reflect immune-related modifications associated with the recovery from hepatitis B virus infection.