@article{15338,
  keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Female, Hepatitis B Antigens, Hepatitis B Surface Antigens, Humans, leprosy, Male, Middle Aged},
  author = {Nuti M and Tarabini G C and Tarabini G C and Thamer G},
  title = {[The "e" antigen (HBeAg) in leprosy].},
  abstract = {<p>Sixty-six sera from leprosy patients, 42 with lepromatous leprosy (l.l.) and 24 with tuberculoid leprosy (t.l.) were examinated for the presence of e-antigen and e-antibody by immunodiffusion. The test for e-antigen was negative in all leprosy patients; e-antibodies were found in only three patients (4.5%) with l.l., all carriers of hepatitis B antigen. The HBsAg test was positive in 23.8% of the l.l. cases and in 12.5% of the t.l. cases; the anti-HBs was present in 38.1% of the l.l. cases and in 41.6% of the t.l. cases. The results suggest the possibility that the leprosy patients positive for the surface B antigen represent a very low risk and can be considered as chronic asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg.</p>},
  year = {1977},
  journal = {Quaderni Sclavo di diagnostica clinica e di laboratorio},
  volume = {13},
  pages = {393-403},
  month = {1977 Dec},
  issn = {0033-4979},
  language = {ita},
}