title: Antibody dynamics and spontaneous viral clearance in patients with acute hepatitis C infection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The anti-HCV antibody response has not been well characterized during the early phase of HCV infection and little is known about its relationship to the clinical course during this period.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed serial anti-HCV antibodies longitudinally obtained from a prospective cohort of 65 patients with acute HCV infection by using a microparticle enzyme immunoassay AxSYM HCV 3.0 (Abbott Diagnostics) during the first 12 months from HCV acquisition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Spontaneous viral clearance (SVC) was defined as undetectable HCV RNA in serum, in the absence of treatment, for three consecutive HCV PCR tests within 12-months of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline antibody values were similar among patient groups with self-limiting HCV evolution (n = 34) and persistent viremia (n = 31) [median (interquartile range) signal/cut-off ratio (s/co) 78.7 (60.7-93.8) vs. 93.9 (67.8-111.9), p = 0.26]. During 12-months follow-up, patients with acute spontaneous resolving HCV infection showed significantly lower serial antibody response in comparison to individuals progressing to chronic infection [median (interquartile range) s/co 62.7 (35.2-85.0) vs. 98.4 (70.4-127.4), p < 0.0001]. In addition, patients with self-limiting HCV evolution exhibited an expeditious, sharp decline of serial antibody values after SVC in comparison to those measured before SVC [median (interquartile range) s/co 56.0 (25.4-79.3) vs. 79.4 (66.3-103.0), p < 0.0001].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate a rapid short-term decline of antibody values in patients with acute spontaneous resolving HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Health Economics, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Strasak
authors.forename: Arthur Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Georg M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lauer
authors.forename: Paulo S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Cleber F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ginuino
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Velloso
authors.forename: Adilson J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Jaqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Clara F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulze zur Wiesch
authors.forename: Gláucia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paranhos-Baccalá
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Larry J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brant
authors.forename: Hanno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ulmer
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strohmaier
authors.forename: Lalit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaltenbach
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lampe
authors.forename: Lia L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lewis-Ximenez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral