[Detection of HBSAG in cerebrospinal fluid by means of a radioimmunoassay technique (author's transl)]. / Radioimmunoglogischer HBSAg-Nachweis im Liquor cerebrospinalis

HBSAg was demonstrated radioimmunologically in cerebrospinal fluid in 7 out of 11 seropositive children with acute viral hepatitis B (1/2), fulminant viral hepatitis (0/1), chronic active hepatitis (2/4), chronic persistent hepatitis (1/1), cirrhosis (1/1), and asymptomatic carrier status (2/2). Counterelectrophoresis and complement fixation test lacked the necessary sensitivity to detect the antigen even in patients with high serum concentrations. The pass over of the cerebrospinal barrier appears to be dependent of the serum titer. Some neurologic symptoms in the early stage of acute viral hepatitis are probably connected with the appearance of HBSAg in cerebrospinal fluid. It is however unlikely that central-nervous-system dysfunctions observed in association with fulminant viral hepatitis and coma result from a direct effect of HBSAg or hepatitis B-virus. In chronic carriers the cerebrospinal fluid probably contains the antigen more frequent. The cerebrospinal fluid of HBSAg-positive patients has to be regarded as an infectious agent.