Virus-specific antibody titres in different phases of hepatitis C virus infection.
This study aimed to examine anti hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody titres, their changes and differences in acute, chronic and past HCV infection and to examine them after IFN-alpha-therapy. Ninety five patients were studied in a cross-sectional investigation and 18 of them were followed long-term. Titres of IgM and IgG antibodies against core, NS3, NS4 (A + B), NS5A proteins were determined by the third generation enzyme immunoassays. Patients with acute hepatitis C developed IgG antibodies against core protein in titres 1/5-1/800 and against individual NS proteins at the same titres. During the first to second month of acute hepatitis C IgG antibody titres to HCV proteins were very low, but they had risen considerably by the fourth to sixth month. Anti-HCV IgM antibodies were found in half the acute hepatitis serum samples, titres were 1/5-1/40. Sixty individuals with chronic hepatitis C showed IgG antibodies against core in titres 1/800-1/40,000 and against individual NS proteins in titres 1/5-1/20,000. Eight patients with chronic hepatitis C had invariable anti-HCV IgG antibodies over 2-3 years. About 81.7% of chronically infected patients had anti-HCV IgM antibodies in titres 1/5-1/160. Patients with resolution of HCV infection showed only anti-core IgG antibodies (titres 1/5-1/200) or no virus-specific antibodies. Individuals with different response to IFN-alpha-therapy showed two distinct patterns of anti-HCV antibody titres. Acute and chronic HCV infection may be distinguished by anti-core titres.
Nikolaeva
L I
LI
Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow. linikol@ibmh.msk.su
Blokhina
N P
NP
Tsurikova
N N
NN
Voronkova
N V
NV
Miminoshvili
M I
MI
Braginsky
D M
DM
Yastrebova
O N
ON
Booynitskaya
O B
OB
Isaeva
O V
OV
Michailov
M I
MI
Archakov
A I
AI
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016898:Interferon-alpha