title: Does previous hepatitis A infection affect the clinicopathological status of chronic hepatitis C?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of previous infection with hepatitis A virus on histopathological and biochemical changes in chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anti-hepatitis A virus antibodies, liver histopathology and alanine aminotransferase activity were determined in 82 patients with chronic hepatitis C. The liver biopsy specimen of each patient was examined according to Scheuer's classification to indicate the severity of the inflammatory cell infiltration in the portal/periportal and parenchymal area (grading) in a 0-4 scale and fibrous stage (staging) in a 0-4 scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of anti-hepatitis A virus antibodies was 63.1%. Anti-HAV-positive patients were significantly older than anti-HAV-negative ones (mean age 42.5 and 33.1 years respectively, p < 0.05). After stratifying the study sample into two age groups (< 40 years and > or = 40 years) the percentage of anti-HAV-positive individuals was similar irrespective of grading, staging score or presence of steatosis. No remarkable differences were observed between the anti-HAV-positive and -negative group in the mean ALT activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study indicate that previous hepatitis A is not associated with progressive course of chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Nursing, Medical Academy of Bialystok, Mieszka I 4B 15-054 Bialystok, Poland. schlabicz@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Slawomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chlabicz
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grzeszczuk
authors.forename: Anatol
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panasiuk
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prokopowicz
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology