Immunoglobulin M antibody to hepatitis B core antigen in patients with chronic type B hepatitis.
Serum samples from 130 persons who were seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen and who had various forms of accompanying liver disease were tested for immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. In 99% of patients with hepatitis B antigen-positive chronic type B hepatitis, IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen was present. This antibody was not present in "healthy" hepatitis B surface antigen carriers and was detectable in only 30% of patients with delta hepatitis. Testing of serial sera from 38 patients with chronic type B hepatitis revealed that IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen persisted in patients who had evidence of persistent hepatitis B virus replication but ultimately disappeared in those patients who exhibited a sustained loss of serum markers of viral replication (hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase activity). These findings suggest that the presence of IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen in chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers indicates an active immune response to persistent viral replication.
D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase