Tissue types as prognostic risk factor in hepatitis B virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
Outcome after acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may be determined by the host immune system. We studied the distribution of major histocompatibility (MHC) antigens in patients who developed natural immunity against HBV and those with chronic hepatitis B.


METHODS
Thirty patients positive for IgG anti-HBs and anti-HBc ('naturally immune'), 30 patients with HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis and 30 subjects with no serological markers of HBV infection (controls) were studied. MHC class-I antigens were detected by the standard Terasaki microlymphocytotoxicity test and the MHC class-II antigens by a polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific primers.


RESULTS
In the naturally immune group, A11, B73, CW3, DRB1*16 and DQB1*05 antigens were significantly more frequent than in the control group, and B73, DRB1*04 and DRB1*13 antigens were more frequent than in the chronic hepatitis group. In the chronic hepatitis group, CW6, DRB5 and DQB1*05 antigens were significantly more frequent than in the control group, and B8, CW7, DRB1*03 and DQB1*02 antigens were more frequent than in the naturally immune group.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in alleleic frequencies of HLA among persons with natural immunity against HBV and those with chronic hepatitis B may suggest a genetic basis for persistence of HBV infection and occurrence of chronic liver disease.
Akcam
Zeynep
Z
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
Sunbul
Mustafa
M
Durupinar
Belma
B
Eroglu
Cafer
C
Esen
Saban
S
Leblebicioglu
Hakan
H
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
D006680:HLA Antigens