Type 2 autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis C virus infection.
The prevalence of serum antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) was assessed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 46 patients seropositive for liver-kidney microsomal antibody (anti-LKM1), the marker of autoimmune hepatitis type 2. 43 had chronic hepatitis (with histological confirmation in 34) and 3 were seropositive for anti-LKM1 without clinical or biochemical evidence of liver damage. The overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 78.2% or 86.1% in patients with chronic hepatitis--a similar prevalence to that reported in patients with chronic non A, non B posttransfusion hepatitis. HCV infection may lead to altered expression of the hepatocellullar LKM1 target antigen, with loss of tolerance and appearance of anti-LKM1 in serum.
Lenzi
M
M
Istituto di Clinica Medica Generale e Terapia Medica, University of Bologna, Italy.
Ballardini
G
G
Fusconi
M
M
Cassani
F
F
Selleri
L
L
Volta
U
U
Zauli
D
D
Bianchi
F B
FB
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000145:classification* / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006518:Hepatitis Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D051381:Rats; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000208:ethnology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; C060729:anti-liver kidney microsome antibody