[Subtype characteristics of the surface antigen of hepatitis B in different regions of the USSR]. / Podtipovaia kharakteristika poverkhnostnogo antigena gepatita B v razlichnykh raionakh SSSR.

A method of preparation of subtypical antisera to two determinants of hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs Ag/ay and anti-HBs Ag/ad) is described. The test system obtained was approbated on 1400 antigen-positive sera collected from blood donors and patients suffering from acute and chronic virus hepatitis in various geographical zones of the USSR. HBs Ag/ay proved to prevail (84--100%), HBs Ag/ad was distributed irregularly--from 16% in the European part of the USSR to 0--4% in the republics of the Middle Asia and Siberian regions. HBs Ag/ad was mostly determined in the population of Western regions of the European part of the USSR (the Baltic republics, 43.4%, Moldavia 24.3%).

[Use of a highly-sensitive method of electrophoresis-precipitation for detecting hepatitis B virus antigen in human serum]. / Primenenie vysokochuvstvitel'nogo metoda élektroforez-pretsipitatsii dlia vyiavleniia antigena virusnogo gepatita B v syvorotkakh krovi liudei

A modification of the highly-sensitive method of electrophoresis-precipitation in polyacrylamide gel used for detection of the virus hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg) and the anti-HBsAg is described. The method completely retains the specificity of the gel immunodiffusion test, but is 100--2000 times more sensitive in HBsAg detection. The sera of patients with different pathology were checked by this method. In comparison with the methods used before the HBsAg determination by the mentioned method proved to be more effective.