Determination of immunoglobulin M antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen and hepatitis A virus by reorienting sucrose gradient high-speed centrifugation for diagnosis of acute viral-hepatitis.
Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) were determined in 41 cases of acute viral hepatitis. In sera positive for anti-HBc or anti-HAV, IgM was separated from IgG by reorienting sucrose gradient high-speed centrifugation, and the IgG- and IgM-containing serum fractions were tested for the presence of specific antibody by radioimmunoassay. At the onset of illness, 4 of the 41 cases were classified as hepatitis A, 31 were hepatitis B, and 6 were non-A, non-B hepatitis, based on the results of these tests and of assays for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody and hepatitis B e antigen and antibody. Fourteen of these 41 patients (34%) required IgM anti-HBc or IgM anti-HAV testing or both for appropriate classification. IgM anti-HBc persisted for at least 7 weeks after onset but no longer than 17 weeks in all patients tested with transient hepatitis B surface antigen-positive acute hepatitis. IgM anti-HAV persisted up to but not longer than 62 days in the patients with hepatitis A. Therefore, IgM anti-HBc and IgM anti-HAV determinants are valuable tools for the differential diagnosis of acute A, B, and non-A, non-B hepatitis.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M