Clinical Gastroenterology Vol.14 No.10(2)

Theme Hepatitis B-Current Topics
Title Remnant HBV in HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive Subjects
Publish Date 1999/09
Author Hiroshi Yotsuyanagi Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St.Marianna University School of Medicine
[ Summary ] Some people who lack serum HBs antigen are positive for serum anti-HBc. They include chronic liver disease cases with high-titered anti-HBc and cases.
with low-titered anti-HBc. Although the latter cases are thought to have a history of HBV infection only in the past, viremia is seen in a substantial portion of such cases. Moreover, liver transplantation from HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive donors transmit HBV to organ recipients. It may be said that HBV proliferates in the liver of HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive subjects even if anti-HBc-titer is low. Although viral load is regulated to low by cytotoxic Tcells, HBV-related liver injury may be caused if the regulation is broken by immunological pressure.
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