Liver disease in hepatitis B antigen [HBAg] positive blood donors

Clinical examination and liver function tests of 14 HBAg positive and 8 HBAg negative blood donors were done. A history of jaundice, contact with hepatitis and hepatosplenomegaly were more frequently observed in the antigen positive donors. Two of the 7 biopsies obtained from donor with persistant HB antigenaemia were normal while 5 showed minimal structural changes. The likely causes of differences in the hepatic response to HBAg and other factors in different ethnic groups is discussed. The incidence of liver disease in asymptomatic individuals with persistant antigenaemia is variable. Banke et al [1971] found no morphological abnormalities in 17 out of 18 biopsies, while changes varying from minor structural distortion to well established chronic aggressive hepatitis and cirrhosis were observed in 14 out of 23 liver biopsies done in HBAg carriers by Prince et al [1969]. Of the 18 biopsies reported by Bolin et al [1973] 5 had chronic aggressive, 8 chronic persistant and 1 acute hepatitis. Changes consistant with past hepatitis were observed in 1, nonspecific changes in 2 and only 1 biopsy was reported as normal. This study is the part of a survey conducted at the blood bank of this center to determine the incidence of HBAg carrier state and the differences in the pattern of liver disease in HBAg positive donors observed here as compared to those reported by others

Hepatitis and hepatitis B surface antigen in health-care personnel

The frequency of hepatitis, Hepatitis B surface antigen [HbsAg] and antibody [HbsAb] among health care personnel [HCP] was 'compared with that of matched controls with no exposure to blood or blood products. Nine of the 11 HbsAg positive HCP but none of the controls presented with classical acute viral hepatitis. Hepatomegaly was present in 6 HbsAg positive HCP presenting with acute hepatitis while, it was absent in the solitary HbsAg positive control. Hepatic enlargement was noted in 36 [9.7 percent] HbsAg negative HCP and 4 [5.30 percent] controls. Serum transaminases abnormalities without the presence of HbsAg or HbsAb were present in 61 [16.7 percent] HCP and in 9 controls [12.3 percent]. The frequency of HBs antigen in 383 HCP was 2.8 percent and in 76 controls 1.3 percent. Frequency of antibody was 27.5 percent in HCP and 38.1 percent in controls by the RIA method and by the CIEP method it was 1.5 percent in the former and 3.9 percent in the latter indicating that the general population is more likely to develop antibodies probably due to exposure to the Hepatitis B virus in small doses by the non-parentral route

Protein electrophoresis in tuberculosis

Serum electrophoresis was done in 31 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 62 age and sex matched controls. Protein values amongst controls were higher than those described by others. In tuberculosis there was significant decrease in total proteins, and albumin with corresponding increase in globulin, mainly due to an increase in gamma globulin fraction. There was no significant increase in alpha-2 levels. Decrease in albumin/alpha-2 ratio was significant in sputum positive cases, but it was due to reduction in albumin rather than increase in alpha-2 globulin. Decrease in albumin/alpha-2 ratio in this study was not diagnostic of tubercular activity