A study has been undertaken to determine the incidence of serum markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in British caucasian patients with biopsy-proven alcoholic liver disease (n = 56), HBsAg negative chronic active liver disease (CALD) (n = 47) and primary liver cell cancer (PLCC) (n = 27), compared to a hospital control population without liver disease (n = 112). No increased incidence of any serum marker of HBV infection was found in alcoholic liver disease or in 'lupoid' CALD (antinuclear factor positive 1:40 and/or smooth muscle antibody positive greater than 1:40). In contrast, the incidence of antibody to HB surface and core antigens was significantly increased (p less than 0.05) in patients with cryptogenic CALD. The incidence of hepatitis B surface antigen and antibodies to HB core and 'e' antigens was significantly increased (p less than 0.005) in PLCC.