Prevalences of hepatitis A, B, C and E viruses in Behçet's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether Behçet's disease (BD), being a systemic vasculitis of unknown aetiology, is associated with hepatitis viruses (HAV, HBV, HCV and HEV).


METHODS
In addition to 124 patients [male:female (M/F): 73/51], all fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of the International Study Group for BD (1991), 14 patients with systemic necrotizing vasculitis (M/F: 7/7), 47 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (M/F: 36/11) and 51 healthy controls (M/F: 22/29) were also included in this study. Serological markers of four different types of hepatitis (anti-HAV IgM, total anti-HAV, HBsAg, anti-HBs, total anti-HBc, anti-HBc IgM, anti-HCV and anti-HEV) were studied in all cases.


RESULTS
There was no difference between the groups with respect to HAV, HCV and HEV serologies. Anti-HBs positivity was observed less frequently in BD compared with healthy controls and systemic vasculitis (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Serological evidence of previous HAV, HCV and HEV infections was not significantly different between Behçet's patients and other groups. However, previous HBV infection was found in a significantly lower number of BD patients as compared with healthy controls and systemic vasculitic patients.
Aksu
K
K
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Microbiology, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
Kabasakal
Y
Y
Sayiner
A
A
Keser
G
G
Oksel
F
F
Bilgiç
A
A
Gümüşdiş
G
G
Doganavşargil
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006518:Hepatitis Viruses / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012698:Serologic Tests