Abstract
A microtitre solid-phase blocking radioimmunoassay (RIA) for antibody to the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated δ antigen was specific and detected anti-δ antibody at dilutions of serum of up to 10 6. Analysis of sera from HBsAg-negative subjects and different categories of HBsAg carriers from different regions confirmed the association of anti-δ antibody with HBV infection. Anti-δ antibody was detected in persistently high titres in 19·1% and 2·6% of sera from patients with chronic hepatitis and symptomatic chronic carriers, respectively, and was not detected in the sera of HBsAg-negative controls. Anti-δ antibody appeared transiently and in low titres (<1:500) in 4·8% of sera from patients with acute type B hepatitis. The presence and persistence of anti-δ antibody seem to be associated with chronic HBV infection and the development of progressive liver damage.
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