Short-term IgM and IgG antibody responses to hepatitis E virus infection.
53 adult patients with acute hepatitis caused by hepatitis E virus were identified by the presence of IgM antibody to hepatitis E virus, and followed for 12 months to evaluate the kinetics of anti-HEV antibodies. All but 1 female Kuwaiti patient were expatriate workers from the Indian subcontinent, temporarily working in Kuwait. Follow-up samples obtained at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months were evaluated for IgM and IgG antibodies to hepatitis E virus. IgM-class antibodies to hepatitis E virus were detectable in 12/27 (44%) patients at 1 months, in 0/26 at 3 months, in 0/8 at 6 months and 0/6 at 12 months. IgG antibodies to hepatitis E virus were detectable in 46/47 (98%) at onset, 26/27 (96%) at 1 month, in 26/29 (90%) at 3 months, 16/16 (100%) at 6 months and 8/8 (100%) at 12 months of follow-up. This study suggests that IgM antibodies to hepatitis E virus decline rapidly after an acute infection but IgG antibodies to hepatitis E virus persists for at least 1 year in many patients.
Koshy
A
A
Thuniyan Al-Ghanim Gastroenterology Center, Al-Amiri Hospital, Kuwait.
Grover
S
S
Hyams
K C
KC
Shabrawy
M A
MA
Pacsa
A
A
al-Nakib
B
B
Zaidi
S A
SA
al-Anezi
A A
AA
al-Mufti
S
S
Burans
J
J
Carl
M
M
Richards
A L
AL
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000276:immunology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M