[Clinical relevance of immunoglobulin M antibody fraction against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc-IgM) (author's transl)].
Forty-four anti-HBc positive patients with various liver diseases were followed up over 2-3 years with enzyme-immunological determinations of the IgM fraction of anti HBc (anti-HBc-IgM). Patients with acute virus hepatitis B (n = 10) had anti-HBc-IgM titres greater than or equal to 10(-3) in the acute phase. In the reconvalescent phase the titre decreased significantly but was still detectable at a level of 10(-1) two years after the onset of the disease. In patients with HBs-antigen positive chronic active hepatitis (n = 25) the anti-HBc-IgM was always detectable when HBe-antigen was positive. Patients with HBe-antigen negative chronic active hepatitis B showed various anti-HBc-IgM findings. Patients with liver diseases not due to hepatitis B virus infections (n = 9) were always anti-HBc-IgM negative. Thus with the help of anti-HBc-IgM determinations acute hepatitis B virus infection can be diagnosed in HBs-antigen negative people. On the other hand it is not suitable for differentiation between acute and chronic hepatitis B infections in HBs-antigen positive persons.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
Klinische Bedeutung der Immunglobulin-M-Antikörperfraktion gegen das Hepatitis-B-core-Antigen (anti-HBc-IgM).