HBs Antigen in Human Plasma Fractions

Abstract

Therapeutic fractions were obtained by fractionating human plasma containing HBs antigen, by the Cohn ethanol technique modified by Nitschmann. Plasmas with various HBs antigen titers were selected. The antigen was sought in each fraction by the techniques of counterelectrophoresis and radioimmunological detection in liquid phase. With the exception of very pure albumins, all fractions were found to contain the HBs antigen, though in variable proportions. A technique for the purification of albumin, applicable on an industrial scale, is proposed. It makes it possible to obtain an albumin fraction in which the HBs antigen cannot be detected by the most sensitive techniques, even starting with a plasma which is very rich in HBs antigen (titer 1/64 by counterelectrophoresis).

Albumin Products

“…This difference may reflect the relative infectivities of the products before heating since it is consistent with the distribution of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) found in a retrospective survey of final material [57]. (In fact, Leveque et al [144] suggested that the presence of HBsAg in albumin preparations correlated with the presence of globulin contaminants.) Regardless of the underlying cause of the difference, the detailed discussions presented by Hoofnagle et al [57] and Pattison et al [143] are relevant.…”