Presence of HBeAg, DNA polymerase activity, Dane particle in different categories of HBsAg carriers and evidence of hepatitis type B infection in their family contacts

Two different categories of HBsAg carriers: renal patients on hemodialysis maintenance and blood donors found in routine screening have been examined with regard to Dane particles, DNA polymerase activity and the e antigen. The presence of these markers and signs of hepatitis type B infection in the family contacts was studied. HBeAg was present in 10 of 15 (66.6%) renal patients but in none of the healthy carriers. Among dialysis patients a perfect correlation between Dane particles, DNA polymerase activity and HBeAg was found. In contrast, anti-HBe was detected in 15 of the 28 (53.5%) asymptomatic carriers and in none of the renal patients. No association between anti-HBe with DNA polymerase activity and Dane particles could be found. 2 asymptomatic carriers were DNA polymerase activity and Dane particles positive but HBeAg negative. The apparent non correlation among these markers of infectivity rules out any consideration of the relative insensitivity of the technique used for e antigen detection. The difference in the HBsAg prevalence in family clusters of renal patients and of blood donors compared with healthy individuals as controls was statistically significant (P < 0.01; P < 0.05). In addition, the highest incidence of serological evidence of HBV infection was within the relatives of dialysis patients who were HBeAg, DNA polymerase activity and Dane particles positive and the lowest within the households of HBsAg asymptomatic carriers who were anti-HBe positive. These findings seem to lend additional support to the association between the presence of Dane particles, DNA polymerase activity and HBeAg in sera with risk of HBV infection.