Hepatitis C virus-specific B cell activation: IgG and IgM detection in acute and chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
Immunological responses to hepatitis C virus infection have not been fully studied. In an attempt to clarify some immunopathogenetic aspects of B cell activation during acute and chronic hepatitis C virus infection and to identify markers of chronicity or of recovery, the humoral response in hepatitis C virus-infected patients was studied.


RESULTS
In children with acute jaundice, with negative markers of acute hepatitis A, B and E, six of 87 (6.9%) had detectable anti-HCV IgM, and only one (1.1%) had detectable anti-HCV IgG. In adults with acute jaundice, with negative markers of acute hepatitis A, B and E, ten of 23 (43.5%) had detectable anti-HCV IgM associated in eight patients with detectable anti-HCV IgG. In chronic hepatitis C virus-infected adult patients, all anti-HCV IgG seropositive, four of 14 (28%) patients had detectable HCV-IgM in serum. In vitro specific antibody production was inducible in a minority of patients. In acute and chronic hepatitis C virus-infection, IgM-HCV serology did not correlate with viremia as detected by polymerase chain reaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, the polymerase chain reaction remains at the moment the only direct marker to demonstrate hepatitis C virus viral replication in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis while anti-HCV IgM analysis alone has only a limited diagnostic value in hepatitis C virus-infection.
Quinti
I
I
Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
Hassan
N F
NF
El Salman
D
D
Shalaby
H
H
El Zimatty
D
D
Monier
M K
MK
Arthur
R R
RR
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral