Precipitin System Detected in Sera from Patients with Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis

A precipitin system detected by immunodiffusion was identified using sera from patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis. This system resembled those described by other authors as serological tests for non-A, non-B antigens and antibodies. However, testing of sera from a large number of patients with acute and chronic liver diseases revealed that this precipitin system was not specific for non-A, non-B hepatitis. Further characterization of the precipitin system demonstrated that it did not represent a true antigen-antibody reaction. Precipitin lines detected by immunodiffusion during the course of acute and chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis may no represent reactions specific for this disease.