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July 13, 1984, Vol 252, No. 2 >
ARTICLE | July 13, 1984

The Australia Antigen FREE

Thomas J. Gill, III, MD; David E. Jenkins, Jr, MD
[+] Author Affiliations

Reprint requests to University Health Center, Department of Pathology, Scaife Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 (Dr Gill).

A commentary on Blumberg BS, Alter HJ, Visnich S: A 'new' antigen in leukemia sera. JAMA 1965;191:541-546.


JAMA. 1984;252(2):258-260. doi:10.1001/jama.1984.03350020060027
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References

The article by Blumberg and associates describing the antigen that was ultimately found to be associated with infection by the hepatitis B virus (HBV)1 presents a classic example of serendipity in scientific research and the fact that "chance favors the prepared mind." It also presents a fascinating insight into the nature of the scientific process and the way in which important discoveries are made.2

The work was careful, logical, and meticulous. It provided solid evidence for the presence of an antigenic system that was later identified as that of the HBV. The initial interpretation of the work was colored by a fortuitous association between the presence of the antigen and patients with leukemia. However, Blumberg and colleagues quickly grasped the true significance of their finding, ie, that the presence of the antigen was associated with blood transfusion and the subsequent development of hepatitis. Their observations became a new

REFERENCES

1 +
Blumberg BS, Alter HJ, Visnich S:  A `new' antigen in leukemia sera . JAMA 1965;;191:101-106.
2 +
Blumberg BS:  Australia antigen and the biology of hepatitis B . Science 1977;;197:17-25.
3 +
Blumberg BS:  A serum antigen (Australia antigen) in Down's syndrome, leukemia, and hepatitis . Ann Intern Med 1967;;66:924-931.
4 +
Blumberg BS, Riddell NM:  Inherited antigenic differences in human serum beta lipoproteins: Second antiserum . J Clin Invest 1963;;42:867-875.
5 +
Okochi K, Murakami S:  Observation on Australia antigen in Japanese . Vox Sang 1968;;15:374-385.
6 +
Prince AM:  An antigen detected in the blood during the incubation period of serum hepatitis . Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1968;;60:814-821.
7 +
Gocke DJ, Kavey NB:  Hepatitis antigen: Correlation with disease and infectivity of blood-donors . Lancet 1969;;1:1055-1059.
8 +
Dane DS, Cameron CH, Briggs M:  Virus-like particles in the serum of patients with Australia-antigen-associated hepatitis . Lancet 1970;;1:695-698.
9 +
Davies JNP:  Hepatic neoplasm , in Gall EZ, Mostofi FK (eds): The Liver . Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins Co, 1973;, pp 361-369.
10 +
Ohbayashi A, Okochi K, Mayumi M, et al:  Familial clustering of symptomatic carriers of Australia antigen and patients with chronic liver disease or primary liver cancer . Gastroenterology 1972;;62:618-625.
11 +
Alter HJ:  The evolution, implications, and applications of the hepatitis B vaccine . JAMA 1982;;247:2272-2275.
12 +
Aach RD, Kahn RA:  Posttransfusion hepatitis: Current perspectives . Ann Intern Med 1980;;92:539-546.
13 +
Krugman S, Overby LR, Mushahwar IK, et al:  Viral hepatitis, type B: Studies on maternal history and prevention re-examined . N Engl J Med 1979;;300:101-106.
14 +
Seeff LB, Wright EC, Zimmerman HJ, et al:  Type B hepatitis after needle-stick exposure: Prevention with hepatitis B immune globulin . Ann Intern Med 1978;;88:285-293.
15 +
 Inactivated hepatitis B virus vaccine . MMWR 1982;;31:317-328.
16 +
Szmuness W, Stevens CE, Harley EJ, et al:  Hepatitis B vaccine in medical staff of hemodialysis units: Efficacy and subtype cross-protection . N Engl J Med 1982;;307:1481-1486.
17 +
Krugman S:  The newly licensed hepatitis B vaccine: Characteristics and indications for use . JAMA 1982;;247:2012-2015.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Blumberg BS, Alter HJ, Visnich S:  A `new' antigen in leukemia sera . JAMA 1965;;191:101-106.
2 +
Blumberg BS:  Australia antigen and the biology of hepatitis B . Science 1977;;197:17-25.
3 +
Blumberg BS:  A serum antigen (Australia antigen) in Down's syndrome, leukemia, and hepatitis . Ann Intern Med 1967;;66:924-931.
4 +
Blumberg BS, Riddell NM:  Inherited antigenic differences in human serum beta lipoproteins: Second antiserum . J Clin Invest 1963;;42:867-875.
5 +
Okochi K, Murakami S:  Observation on Australia antigen in Japanese . Vox Sang 1968;;15:374-385.
6 +
Prince AM:  An antigen detected in the blood during the incubation period of serum hepatitis . Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1968;;60:814-821.
7 +
Gocke DJ, Kavey NB:  Hepatitis antigen: Correlation with disease and infectivity of blood-donors . Lancet 1969;;1:1055-1059.
8 +
Dane DS, Cameron CH, Briggs M:  Virus-like particles in the serum of patients with Australia-antigen-associated hepatitis . Lancet 1970;;1:695-698.
9 +
Davies JNP:  Hepatic neoplasm , in Gall EZ, Mostofi FK (eds): The Liver . Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins Co, 1973;, pp 361-369.
10 +
Ohbayashi A, Okochi K, Mayumi M, et al:  Familial clustering of symptomatic carriers of Australia antigen and patients with chronic liver disease or primary liver cancer . Gastroenterology 1972;;62:618-625.
11 +
Alter HJ:  The evolution, implications, and applications of the hepatitis B vaccine . JAMA 1982;;247:2272-2275.
12 +
Aach RD, Kahn RA:  Posttransfusion hepatitis: Current perspectives . Ann Intern Med 1980;;92:539-546.
13 +
Krugman S, Overby LR, Mushahwar IK, et al:  Viral hepatitis, type B: Studies on maternal history and prevention re-examined . N Engl J Med 1979;;300:101-106.
14 +
Seeff LB, Wright EC, Zimmerman HJ, et al:  Type B hepatitis after needle-stick exposure: Prevention with hepatitis B immune globulin . Ann Intern Med 1978;;88:285-293.
15 +
 Inactivated hepatitis B virus vaccine . MMWR 1982;;31:317-328.
16 +
Szmuness W, Stevens CE, Harley EJ, et al:  Hepatitis B vaccine in medical staff of hemodialysis units: Efficacy and subtype cross-protection . N Engl J Med 1982;;307:1481-1486.
17 +
Krugman S:  The newly licensed hepatitis B vaccine: Characteristics and indications for use . JAMA 1982;;247:2012-2015.

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