DISTRIBUTION OF HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN IN THE LIVER

The distribution of HBsAg in the liver tissue of autopsied liver cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma cases was investigated. The study was performed on the comparable basis between the positivity of serum HBsAg and detectability of tissue HBsAg by Victoria blue stain using numerous liver tissue sections, up to 300 in each case. The distribution pattern of HBsAg was found to be more various than expected, which was classified into three types; sparse, localized, and diffuse. No HBsAg was recognized in the liver of sero-negative cases, even after examining all through the organ.