Abstract

• Three distinct antigen-antibody systems are associated with hepatitis B virus(HBV):hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) and its antibody(Anti-HBs): Hpatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and its antibody(Anti-HBc) and hepatitis Be antigen(HBeAg) and its antibody(Anti-HBe). Among them HBe antigen and anti-HBe are now interested by most of physician because its presence in serum may indicate chronic carrier of hepatitis, so that the number of determination of HBeAg and Anti-HBe as adjuncts in the clinical evaluation of patients who are HBsAg positive increased daily. HBe Ag has been also shown its evidence of infectivity in vertical transmission among HBsAg positive pregnant woman by several investigation. However there is lack of morphologic studies on liver biopsy in HBe Ag positive patient. The auther has done simultaneously determination of serologic markers of hepatitis and liver biopsy on 80 patients who have abnormal liver function test. The results are summarized as follow: 1) The positivity of HBe Ag is 23% among all 80 cases of liver disease and 61% among HBs Ag positive patients. 2) The positivity of anti-HBe is 21% among all 80 cases of liver disease and 54% among HBsAg positive patients. 3) Hepatic enzyme activity reveals that SGOT is considerably higher in HBe Ag positive than in anti-HBe positive patients and SGPT is higher in HBeAg positive patients compared with both HBsAg positive and anti-HBe positive patiens. 4) Liver biopsies of HBe Ag positive patients show characteristically hepatocytic necrosis, eosinophilic bodies, piecemeal necrosis, and intralobular mixed inflammatory cell infiltration. 5) Liver biopsies of anti-HBe positive patients show mainly limited lymphocytic infiltration in portal triad and absence of hepatocytic necrosis, eosinophilic bodies, and piecemeal necrosis.