Antibodies to Hepatitis B Surface Antigen
Authors: ADRIAN O. VLADUTIU
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1985)

Letters and Corrections1 November 1985Antibodies to Hepatitis B Surface AntigenADRIAN O. VLADUTIU, M.D., Ph.D.ADRIAN O. VLADUTIU, M.D., Ph.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-103-5-806_2 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: The article by Kessler and colleagues (1) is of general interest because it shows, once again, that antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), at least as they are currently detected in clinical laboratories with commercial reagents, are sometimes cross-reacting antibodies. I would like to emphasize two points: higher sample ratio units (ratio of counts per minute of the tested sample over the mean of negative control samples) are not proof of monospecificity for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (2, 3), and the absorption (neutralization) by HBsAg also does not rule out cross-reactivity of anti-HBs. Indeed, one...References References References1. KESSLER H, HARRIS A, and PAYNE J. Antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen as the sole hepatitis B marker in hospital personnel. Ann Intern Med. 1985;103:21-6. LinkGoogle Scholar2. KOZIOL D, ALTER H, KIRSHNER J, and HOLLAND P. The development of HBsAg-positive hepatitis despite the previous existence of antibody to HBsAg. J Immunol. 1976;117:2260-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. SHERERTZ R, SPINDEL F, and HOOFNAGEL J. Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen does not always indicate immunity to hepatitis B virus infection [Letter]. N Engl J Med. 1983;309:1519. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. LEIBOWITZ A and VLADUTIU A. Concomitant hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody [Letter]. Ann Intern Med. 1984;100:615. LinkGoogle Scholar5. FOUTCH P, CAREY W, and TABOR E. Concomitant hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody in thirteen patients. Ann Intern Med. 1985;99:460-3. LinkGoogle Scholar1. . Inactivated hepatitis B virus vaccine: recommendation of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP). MMWR. 1982;31:317-28. MedlineGoogle Scholar2. KESSLER H, HARRIS A, PAYNE J, HUDSON E, POTKIN B, and LEVIN S. Antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen as the sole hepatitis B marker in hospital personnel. Ann Intern Med. 1985;103:21-6. LinkGoogle Scholar3. KOZIOL D, ALTER H, KIRSHNER J, and HOLLAND P. The development of HBsAg-positive hepatitis despite the previous existence of antibody to HBsAg. J Immunol. 1976;117:2260-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. SHERERTZ R, SPINDEL F, and HOOFNAGLE J. Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen does not always indicate immunity to hepatitis B virus infection [Letter]. N Engl J Med. 1983;309:1519. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. LINNEMANN C and ASKEY P. Susceptibility to hepatitis B despite high titre anti-HBs antibody. Lancet. 1984;1:346-7. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. BROTMAN B and PRINCE A. Occurrence of AUSAB test positivity unrelated to prior hepatitis B exposure. J Infect Dis. 1984;150:714-20. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar1. KESSLER H, HARRIS A, PAYNE J, HUDSON E, POTKIN B, and LEVIN S. Antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen as the sole hepatitis B marker in hospital personnel. Ann Intern Med. 1985;103:21-6. LinkGoogle Scholar2. . Inactivated hepatitis B virus vaccine: recommendation of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP). MMWR. 1982;31:317-28. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. HOOFNAGLE J, SCHAFER D, and FERENCI P. Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen in nonprimate animal species. Gastroenterology. 1983;84:1478-82. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. PRINCE A, BROTMAN B, and NEURATH R. Nonspecificity of the AUSAB test for anti-HBs. In: VYAS GN, DIENSTAG JL, HOOFNAGLE JH, eds. Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease. Orlando, Florida: Grune & Stratton, Inc.; 1984:691. Google Scholar5. BROTMAN B and PRINCE A. Occurrence of AUSAB test positivity unrelated to prior hepatitis B exposure. J Infect Dis. 1984;150:714-20. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: ADRIAN O. VLADUTIU, M.D., Ph.D.Affiliations: The Buffalo General Hospital Buffalo, NY 14203 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 November 1985Volume 103, Issue 5Page: 806-807KeywordsAntibodiesClinical laboratoriesHepatitis B surface antigen ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 November 1985 PDF downloadLoading ...