This compact paperback provides a handy synopsis of research and clinical data on hepatitis associated antigen (HAA). Reprinted from Vox Sanguinis, it is divided into sections, the first dealing with methodology, nonhuman primate studies, and genetic aspects of the topic. The second section covers the clinical and epidemiologic factors. The format in this section varies considerably and includes papers ranging from abstract to chapter length. Topics covered include prevalence of HAA in blood donors and recipients, patients with chronic renal disease and their medical attendants, as well as in a variety of other conditions, eg, thalassemia, drug addiction, and chronic active hepatitis.
Developments on the medical-legal scene in this country render Gocke's plea for standardization of test procedures and recognition of the limitations of current donor screening methods (in the prevention of transfusion-associated hepatitis) particularly germane.
So much has been written on HAA recently that excessive commentary in this review