title: The liver profile in patients with hepatitis C virus and/or fascioliasis.
abstract: In this study, twenty HCV/PCR-RNA positive patients with neither infection nor infestation were 15 males and five females with ages ranging between 17-78 years old. Liver function tests: S. albumin was decreased in 15 patients (75%), total protein decreased in 3 patients (15%), total bilirubin increased in 7 patients (35%), AST/ALT increased in 3 patients (15%). Globulin value increased in 15 patients (75%). A/G ratio decreased in 12 (60%). Ten normal individuals (five males & five females), gave normal findings. However, a 19 years-old female had non significant elevation (0.26 mg/dl) in direct bilirubin. Liver function tests: one patient had increased AST/ALT, Globulin value decreesed (-0.2) in another one (10%) and A/G ratio increased (+0.3 to +0.6) in three (30%) individuals. Twenty randomly selected patients (15 males and five females) HCV/3rd generation ELISA showed ALT elevation in 17 (85%), AST in all (100%), S. albumin decreased in 9 (45%), and increased in 1 (5%). Total protein decreased in 3 (15%), total bilirubin increased in 7 (35%) and direct bilirubin in 4 (20%), AST/ALT value increased in 3 patients (15%), Globulin value increased in 15 patients (75%). A/G ratio decreased in 12 (60%). Three patients had schistosomiasis, one 30 years old male had increased AST/ALT, normal globulin, increased A/G and positive HBs-Ag. The second one was a 33-year-old male had normal AST/ALT, normal globulin, increased A/G and positive HBs-Ag. The third patient was a 19-year-old female with normal AST/ALT and normal globulin, increased A/G and positive HBs-Ag. Two patients had fascioliasis, one was a 20-year-old male with increased AST/ALT, globulin normal, A/G normal and negative HBs-Ag. The second one was a 26-year-old female with normal AST/ALT and normal globulin, increased A/G and positive HBs-Ag. The other four positive HBs-Ag patients were parasite-free. Also, the other HCV/ELISA positive were negative for HBs-Ag. HCV/ELISA may have cross-reacted with HBs-Ag and/or with elevated ALT and gave false positive HCV. The 3rd generation ELISA in detection of HCV was not as sensitive as PCR/RNA. Out of 41 fascioliasis patients (26 males & 15 females), 14 were positive HCV/ELISA (34.1%), but only six were positive HCV/PCR (14.6%). ALT increased in 18 fascioliasis patients (43.9%), AST in 23 patients (56.1%) but, albumin decreased in 7 patients (17.1%), total protein decreased in 5 (12.2%), but total bilirubin increased in 14 (34.1%) and direct bilirubin increased in 2 (4.9%). Liver function tests of 14 fascioliasis and ELISA positive HCV showed AST/ALT increased in 6 (42.9%), globulin increased in 3 (21.4%) and decreased in 6 (42.8%). A/G decreased in 4 (28.6%) and increased in 8 (57.2%). Liver function tests of pure 27 fascioliasis patients showed that AST /ALT increased in 8 (29.6%), globulin increased in one patient (3.7%) but decreased in 10 (37.0%) and A/G ratio increased in 13 (48.1%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ali A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Wahib
authors.forename: Mohamed S Seif
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: el-Nasr
authors.forename: Amal M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mangoud
authors.forename: Atef M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: el-Shazly
authors.forename: Ayman T A
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Morsy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000032:analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000032:analysis*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D018510:RNA, Helminth; D012367:RNA, Viral; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001663:Bilirubin