Dane particles-associated hepatitis B core antigen in patients with HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis.

Dane particles-associated hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) was determined by radioimmunoassay in 61 patients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HGsAg)-positive chronic hepatitis. HBc antigenemia was observed in 61% of patients, especially in those with epidemiological risk factors. Patients with chronic active hepatitis as well as those with chronic persistent hepatitis may have HBc antigenemia. The highest levels of HBcAg were observed in male homosexuals. Follow-up determinations indicate the general tendency of HBcAg to decrease or disappear. HBcAg-positive patients with chronic active hepatitis had a poor prognosis, whereas HBcAg-negative patients frequently had a favorable clinical course of the disease (P less than 0.001). The assay of HBcAg in the serum of patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis is a useful parameter with both clinical and epidemiological importance.