title: Anti-HD IgM as a marker of chronic delta infection.
abstract: The value of anti-HD IgM as a marker of chronic delta infection was evaluated by correlating its presence in serum with that of HD-Ag in liver cells and with the degree of inflammatory activity. Thirty-six patients with HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis and anti-HD at high titers were studied. Overall, the liver cells of 26 patients contained HD-Ag and 27 were positive for IgM anti-HD. The correlation between both markers was excellent: 25 cases were positive for both serum anti-HD IgM and intrahepatic HD-Ag and 8 were negative for both markers. There was only 1 HD-Ag-positive patient, who was anti-HD IgM-negative. Two patients were anti-HD IgM-positive and HD-Ag-negative. Histological damage was more severe in anti-HD IgM-positive cases than in those negative for this marker (Knodell's index 13.5 vs 11.9, P less than 0.01). We conclude that anti-HD IgM is a good marker of chronic active delta infection.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen