title: Anti-hepatitis C virus immunoglobulin M antibody in patients with chronic hepatitis type C.
abstract: Anti-hepatitis C virus immunoglobulin M antibody titers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 28 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Nine patients were treated with alpha-interferon at a dosage of 3 MIU/day for 4 weeks. Anti-HCV IgM was positive in 12 of the 28 patients, and these 12 patients also had significantly higher anti-HCV antibody titers than those patients who were negative for anti-HCV IgM. Among the 9 patients treated with alpha-interferon, anti-HCV IgM positivity was significantly lower in 4 good responders than in 2 non-responders and 3 transient responders at 12 months after the completion of treatment (p < 0.01). These results suggest that anti-HCV IgM titers might be useful for monitoring the antiviral effect of interferon treatment in CH C.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onji
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Michitaka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D015415:Biomarkers; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016898:Interferon-alpha