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Complexes between hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) have been detected in acute type B hepatitis. Sequential serum testing for the presence of these complexes has been shown to be the best method for predicting disease chronicity. The presence of HBsAg/IgM complexes was investigated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with selected sera from Senegal. The three population groups studied were composed of 405 Senegalese soldiers as well as 84 liver cirrhosis and 169 primary liver cancer patients. Only one of the 122 HBsAg negative sera tested was found to be positive for HBsAg/IgM complexes. Complexes were detected 13.9% of the HBsAg positive soldiers, in 40% of the HBsAg positive liver cirrhosis patients, and in 50% of the HBsAg positive primary liver cancer patients. HBsAg/IgM complexes were also detected in 53.6% of the hepatitis B e antigen (HBe) positive soldiers, compared to 75 and 76% for the HBeAg positive liver cirrhosis and primary liver cancer patients, respectively. In anti-HBe positive sera, an increased proportion of HBsAg/IgM complexes was observed during the sequence chronic hepatitis (5%)-cirrhosis (29%)-primary liver cancer (42%). On the other hand, it has been reported that in the sequence of events leading from chronic hepatitis to primary liver cancer, there is an increase in anti-HBeAg prevalence and in alpha-fetoprotein levels. In this study, only alpha-fetoprotein levels were found to increase. Values higher than 15 IU/ml were observed in 4.3, 27.3, and 86.4% of the HBsAg positive individuals from the three groups. No significant variation was observed in the anti-HBe prevalence between the population group (64-75%).