To evaluate T cell immunity in advanced liver disease, antigen-specific lymphoproliferative (LP) responses were prospectively studied in the context of the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis trial. Peripheral blood responses to hepatitis C virus (HCV), tetanus and Candida protein antigens were measured at baseline, month 12 (M12), M24, M36 and M48 in 186 patients random...

objectives the current study aimed to assess relationship between s/co rates and hcv-rna levels in the laboratory to identify hcv viremia in patients with a positive anti-hcv. patients and methods all serum samples were assayed for anti-hcv by elisa method. a total of 265 anti-hcv positive patients were tested for hcv-rna testing by quantitative method using artus hcv rg real-time polymerase ch...

TWO DISTINCT VIRAL ANTIGENS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEPATITIS B VIRUS: the hepatitis B surface antigen (HB(s)Ag, Australia antigen) and the hepatitis B core antigen (HB(c)Ag). HB(s)Ag, purified from the serum of asymptomatic human HB(s)Ag carriers, and HB(c)Ag, purified from the liver of a chimpanzee acutely infected with hepatitis B virus, were examined by serological and immune electron micro...

AIMS To evaluate the role of hepatocyte expression of leucocyte adhesion molecules and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens in the pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis. METHODS The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), lymphocyte function associated antigen 3 (LFA-3), and MHC class I and II antigens on hepatocyte membrane in relation to the histological and b...

background occult hepatitis b virus infection (obi) is defined as the presence of hepatitis b virus (hbv) dna in the liver and/or in the serum of patients with negative results of hepatitis b s antigen (hbsag) test with or without serological markers of previous viral exposure. the impact of obi in patients with chronic hepatitis c (chc) is still unclear. objectives the aim of this study was to...

The target antigens of anti-nuclear autoantibodies in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are poorly characterised. Since antibodies to the p53 nuclear protein have been reported in various autoimmune diseases, we have assessed the prevalence of these antibodies in patients with AIH (n = 45), primary biliary cirrhosis (n = 60), hepatitis B (n = 22), hepatitis C (n = 55), and in a control group of subjec...

Data on prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in Malawi is limited. We tested blood samples from HIV-uninfected and -infected populations of women and men enrolled in research studies in Malawi during 1989-2008 to determine the seroprevalence of HEV, hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Samples were tested for IgG against HEV, total antibodies against H...