| [ 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. |