Immune status of individuals with differing clinical courses of HBV infection

The immune reactivity of individuals with 3 types of clinical hepatitis B v irus infection and a normal control group were compared. The groups studied were individuals with acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, chronic carriers and normal controls. Although the groups differed in terms of the number o f circulating lymphocytes, T cells, B cells, calculated helper (CD4+)/suppr essor (CD8+) ratios as well as skin test reactivity to a panel of widely re cognized antigens, no consistent pattern was recognized for any group and r esponses observed did not support current hypotheses with the goal to expla in the different clinical patterns of HBV infection.