The Virus of Hepatitis, Type B

Abstract

The discovery of hepatitis B antigen1 2 3 4 has led to studies of the physical and chemical nature of the antigen and to the discovery of different structural forms of the antigen, some of which have properties of an incomplete virus and at least one having properties consistent with those of a complete virus. Here, we review some of the more recently acquired knowledge of the morphologic, antigenic and macromolecular structure of the hepatitis B antigen forms and compare hepatitis B virus (HBV) with better studied viruses. Some of the clinical and biologic implications of the recent findings . . .