Nuclear Particles of Non‐A, Non‐B Type in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Hepatitis B

In an electron microscopic study, nuclear aggregates of virus‐like spherical and tubular particles measuring 20 to 29 nm in diameter were found in 5 of 7 clinically healthy volunteers with normal liver histology, 6 of 10 patients with hepatitis B and 17 of 18 patients with hepatitis non‐A, non‐B. The incidence of hepatocytes containing nuclear particles was approximately 0.5 to 2% in all three groups. We conclude that these nuclear particles are not specific ultrastructural markers of hepatitis non‐A, non‐B in man as originally claimed for experimental hepatitis non‐A, non‐B in chimpanzees.