ABSTRACT
A complex enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) has been designed for antigen-specific determination of HBsAg-containing circulating immune complexes (CIC HBsAg/IgM and CIC HBsAg/IgG) in human blood sera in parallel with registration of free HBsAg and specific antibodies to viruses of hepatitis A, B and D. It is shown that effective formation of HBsAg-containing CIC serologically is registered predominantly as a mutually incompatible marker with detection of free HBsAg (in 70-85% of the cases). CIC HBsAg/IgM and CIC HBsAg/IgG may be registered both in parallel and as mutually exclusive markers. Effective formation of HBsAg-containing CIC in the presence of anti-HBsAg occurs in case of a mild course of viral hepatitis of epidemic and sporadic type, while in severe forms of VH-free HBsAg is predominantly detected thus pointing either to ineffective formation of HBsAg-containing CIC or to their continuous registration with demonstration of the effect of delay of witching of anti-HBsM over to anti-HBsG (or CIC HBsAg/IgM to CIC HBsAg/IgG). It was also found that in case of epidemic VH in Tajik SSR (1987) serologically marked as VH both A and B convalescent phase was characterized by parallel disappearance (or lowering of the titer levels) of HBsAg-containing CIC and class M antibodies to both hepatitis A (anti-HAV M) and B (anti-HBcM, anti-HBsM) along with the containing parallel registration of relevant G-antibodies (anti-HAV G/anti-HBcG). This observation requires further studies both in terms of close association of viruses of hepatitides A and B and with regards to possible antigenic mimicry.
