title: [Acute viral hepatitis in the Florence area: II. Immunologic study].
abstract: Sera obtained from 302 patients with acute viral hepatitis were studied for the presence of organ and non organ specific autoantibodies and of circulating immune complexes (CIC). Autoantibodies were determined by indirect immunofluorescence techniques and CICs were detected by 125 J - C1q assay (C1qBA according to Zubler et al., 1976). A high prevalence of anti smooth muscle autoantibodies (SMA) was found in the sera of the patients. In particular, SMA were found in the sera from 44/73 (60.2%), 92/182 (50.55%) and 10/47 (21.3%) of A, B and nonA nonB hepatitis, respectively. The highest prevalence of SMA was observed within 10 days after the clinical onset of the disease in hepatitis A patients and within 10-15 days in nonA nonB hepatitis. The prevalence of SMA in hepatitis B is persistently high during the first two weeks of illness, then decreases and, about the 3rd week, increases again. CIC were detected in 156 sera from 302 patients (51.65%) affected by acute viral hepatitis. The prevalence of CIC was significantly higher in hepatitis A (78.08%) than in B and nonA nonB hepatitis (45.6% and 34.03% respectively). CIC were demonstrated in almost all the sera of hepatitis A patients admitted between the 6th and the 15th day after the onset of the disease. A strict connection was observed between SMA and CIC and, although to a lesser extent, between CIC and markers of A and B viruses. No significant connection between CIC and serum aminotransferase or bilirubin levels was noted. CIC screening was performed weekly for 1 month after admission in 225 patients with acute viral hepatitis. According to our data, the clearance of immune complexes from serum seems to occur more quickly in B and nonA nonB hepatitis than in virus A hepatitis.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001323:Autoantibodies
vernacular_title: L'epatite virale acuta nell'area di Firenze: II--Studio immunologico.