[Histochemistry of hepatitis B antigen (HBs-Ag) in routine diagnostic procedures; practical use and interpretation of findings of orcein staining (author's transl)].

The orcein staining technique was tested in 1 000 unselected liver biopsy specimens in regard to its usefulness as a routine diagnostic procedure. It turned out to be a cheap and uncomplicated screening method for HBs-Ag in liver tissue. 2.8% of the cases gave a positive result. Patients with chronic hepatitis and normal persons showing positive serological reactions for HBs-Ag could be detected by this morphological method as well. Positive results in patients with cirrhosis do allow conclusions in regard to etiology; in our group 15% of all patients with cirrhosis did show a positive result, being the biggest single group. Interpretation of findings, limits of sensitivity, theoretical considerations, and the meaning of positive results in medical expertise are discussed.