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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Detection of antibody to hepatitis C E2/NS1 protein in patients with type C hepatitis.

Putative E2/NS1 sequence of hepatitis C virus was expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein with maltose binding protein. Approximately 80 kDa protein was obtained containing 38 kDa E2/NS1 protein. The antibody to this protein was detectable in the same serum from which the sequence was amplified. It was also detectable in none of 7 acute hepatitis, in 2 of 12 chronic persistent hepatitis, in 3 of 25 chronic active hepatitis, and in 2 of 4 cirrhosis. It was detectable in none of 10 normal subjects. In 3 cases who were positive for the antibody before the interferon treatment, it became undetectable after the treatment. Thus, it seems that the antibody is not a neutralizing antibody and is related to active viral replication.

Base Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Viral hepatitis in the 1990s, Part III: Hepatitis C, hepatitis E, and other viruses.

Acute hepatitis can be caused by a number of viruses, especially A, B, C, E, delta, Epstein-Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus. Hepatitis A and B have been discussed previously in this series. The virus responsible for most cases of what commonly has been referred to as non-A non-B hepatitis has been tracked, and antibodies to certain proteins of this virus have been identified. This virus is now referred to as hepatitis C. The possible clinical outcomes after acute hepatitis C virus infection are similar to those for hepatitis B virus infection, except that hepatitis C is far more likely to become chronic. Clinical testing for hepatitis C virus infection is in its infancy and has certain limitations. Successful treatment of at least some cases of hepatitis C is possible. Hepatitis E has recently been described, primarily in third-world countries. It causes an acute hepatitis that may be particularly lethal for pregnant women. Herpesviruses may also cause hepatitis, particularly in the newborn or the immunocompromised. Exotic viruses causing acute hepatitis are enumerated.

Cytomegalovirus↗
PubMed1992

Use of aminotransferase, hepatitis C antibody, and hepatitis C polymerase chain reaction RNA assays to establish the diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection in a diagnostic virology laboratory.

Clinical and therapeutic decisions for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection depend on factors that include documentation of past infection as well as identification of those who might benefit from antiviral chemotherapy with systemic interferon. To evaluate the ability of a diagnostic laboratory to accurately identify such patients, we compared results obtained with serum transaminase assays, two HCV antibody assays (enzyme immunoassay [EIA] and immunoblot), and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay for HCV RNA using a group of consecutively submitted samples within our university-based diagnostic virology laboratory and sera from a population of random blood donors. One hundred percent of specimens with R values of greater than 3.0 in the HCV EIA were positive in the confirmatory immunoblot. However, 25% of specimens with EIA R values of between 1.0 and 3.0 were not confirmed by either recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) or RNA PCR assay (false-positive specimens). A significant correlation (P less than 0.01) between increasing reactivity in the RIBA and positivity in the RNA PCR assay was found. The incidence of HCV viremia, as determined by the RNA PCR assay, was 73% for confirmed seropositive specimens, 33% for seropositive specimens with indeterminate RIBA results, 12% for seronegative specimens obtained from infected patients, and 2.0% for seronegative specimens obtained from uninfected blood donors. In contrast, serum transaminase testing did not correlate with the RNA PCR assay for HCV. Use of the EIA and immunoblot assay followed by RNA PCR testing will identify most patients who are viremic with HCV.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1992

Hepatitis C viremia in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.

Sera from 103 patients were tested for hepatitis C virus RNA by nested polymerase chain reaction assay. Using primers from the highly conserved 5'-untranslated region, we detected hepatitis C virus RNA in 67 (88.2%) of 76 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus by both second-generation and neutralization enzyme immunoassays. Hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in 93% of patients who had been infected for 10 yr or less and in 89% of those who had been infected for longer than 10 yr. Hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in all patients with chronic hepatitis, active cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma and in 50% of those with nonspecific reactive hepatitis or inactive cirrhosis. Hepatitis C virus RNA was not detected in sera from 22 patients negative for antibody to hepatitis C virus or in 5 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus by second-generation but not by neutralization enzyme immunoassay. Using primers from the less conserved nonstructural region 4, we detected hepatitis C virus RNA at a lower frequency, in 66% of patients who were positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus by both second-generation and neutralization enzyme immunoassays. The detection rate was higher in patients with frequent parenteral exposure. Our study showed that hepatitis C viremia can be detected in most patients with hepatitis C virus infection, including those with long-standing infection or advanced liver disease.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies and hepatitis C virus-RNA in an urban population.

Several studies had been carried out on anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in populations with blood exposure risks and in blood donors. New tests are now available which allow the investigation to extend to other parameters such as antibody type and HCV-RNA. In this study the prevalence of anti-HCV c100-3 and the associated epidemiological, clinical, and virological markers were evaluated in subjects from an urban population located in central Italy. In positive cases the time persistence of HCV-RNA and anti-HCV antibody pattern was studied. For this purpose, sera from 1,484 randomly sampled individuals, aged 30-69 years, collected in 1985 and stored at -80 degrees C were retrospectively tested. The prevalence was 0.87% (i.e., 13 anti-HCV c100-3 positive cases). A significant association was observed with raised alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (P less than 0.001). Paired serum samples from 11 out of the 13 subjects collected in 1985 and 1991 were tested by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers from the 5' non-coding region and by 4-RIBA. Concordant RIBA patterns between 1985 and 1991 were observed in the majority of positive paired sera (7/9) as well as for HCV-RNA (6/9). HCV-RNA was present in sera simultaneously positive to both types of antibody or to anti-c100-3 or anti-c22 alone. A wide spectrum of viral and antibody patterns in anti-HCV c100-3 positive sera was observed in this urban population and persisted for at least 6 years.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Hepatitis C virus RNA and hepatitis C virus antibody in the serum of patients with abnormal liver function.

In order to elucidate the relation between hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) in serum, we examined samples of serum collected from 228 HBsAg-negative patients, with abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values, for HCV-RNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and for anti-HCV using C100 protein as the antigen. HCV-RNA was detected in 99 (92.5%) of 107 anti-HCV-IgG-positive samples, regardless of ELISA optical density cut-off value (ELISA ratio), and in 34 (28.1%) of 121 anti-HCV-IgG-negative samples in which the frequency of the presence of HCV-RNA became higher in proportion to the ELISA ratio. Among 42 discordant cases (34 anti-HCV-IgG-negative, RNA-positive cases and eight anti-HCV-IgG-positive, RNA-negative cases), 10 were positive for anti-HCV-IgM (8/34 and 2/8, respectively) irrespective of clinical status. These findings suggest that in patients with abnormal ALT values, even if they are anti-HCV-IgG negative, HCV infection cannot be excluded. Furthermore, PCR assay for detecting HCV-RNA may be more suitable for identifying patients with infectious virus than is detection of anti-HCV-IgG. Detection of anti-HCV-IgM may also be useful.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1992

Significance of IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

We assessed the correlation between the positivity for serum IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus and the activity of liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Serum samples were taken from 10 antibody to hepatitis C virus-positive asymptomatic patients with normal serum ALT levels, from 14 untreated patients with clinically and histologically proven chronic hepatitis C and from 26 patients with clinically and histologically proven chronic hepatitis C assigned to receive recombinant interferon alpha-2a (6 million IU three times a week for 6 mo). Each serum specimen was tested for IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus-associated C100-3 antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were observed for at least 12 mo. All 10 patients with normal ALT values tested negative for IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus. In contrast, 33 of 40 (82%) patients with chronic hepatitis C had IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus, and a positive correlation was seen between the ALT level and the level of IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus (r = 0.803, p less than 0.001). During interferon treatment, ALT levels declined into the normal range in 18 of 26 treated patients (69%) and remained normal after stopping treatment in 8 patients (31%). In untreated patients, in treated patients who did not respond to interferon treatment and in responder patients who relapsed, no significant changes in IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus levels were seen during the study period. In contrast, IgM antibody to hepatitis C virus became undetectable by the end of interferon treatment in seven of eight patients with a sustained response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Hepatitis C virus antibodies and hepatitis C virus RNA in Chinese blood donors determined by ELISA, recombinant immunoblot assay and polymerase chain reaction.

Antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) were determined in Chinese blood donors from the city of Wuhan by a second generation ELISA screening test and a confirmatory recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA II). Two materials of 281 and 222 sera were sampled under similar conditions in 1989 and 1990, respectively. The first collection of sera was sent to Sweden in lyophilized form, the second directly as fresh unfrozen sera. A high proportion (7.1%) of the lyophilized sera reacted positively in the anti-HCV screening assay, but only seven (2.5%) were positive by the RIBA confirmatory test. In four of these sera HCV-RNA could be detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. In the second material of fresh sera six reacted positively in the screening anti-HCV ELISA, but only one was RIBA positive and four were RIBA indeterminate. None of these sera was positive for HCV-RNA. Thus, the overall prevalence of anti-HCV among the 503 Chinese blood donors, as identified by RIBA, was 1.6%, and of HCV-RNA by PCR 0.8%. The confirmed antibody prevalence is higher than reported from the Western world. Caution about using data from the screening ELISA only, especially if sera have been handled in an unorthodox way, is emphasized.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[The evolution of non-A, non-B hepatitis: hepatitis C and hepatitis E].

The nosological evolution of non-A, non-B hepatitis is synthetically reviewed. After the initially complete silence from the epidemiological and diagnostic points of view, much research has been devoted to this pathology and has already yielded a number of new acquisitions even beyond simple HCV and HEV hepatitis. The problems connected with this pathology are a direct concern of medical practice in view of its frequency in the population and of its prevention where much progress has already been made.

Hepacivirus↗
PubMed1992

Infection of Chang cells with hepatitis C virus using hepatic biopsy specimens from patients with chronic hepatitis (type C).

The presence of hepatitis C virus sequence was detected in liver tissue extracts by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method using primers of non-coding region in six out of eight cases with chronic hepatitis seropositive for Chiron's antibody. Subsequently, liver extracts from these cases were added to cell cultures of Chang cells for 3 days. The liver extracts of the six cases positive for PCR appeared to infect the Chang cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Non-A, non-B chronic hepatitis is chronic hepatitis C: a sensitive assay for detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in the liver.

To study the role of hepatitis C virus in non-A, non-B chronic hepatitis, 49 liver biopsy samples from 40 patients with non-A, non-B chronic hepatitis and 9 control patients were analyzed by complementary DNA/polymerase chain reaction. Two segments of the HCV genome, one in the nonstructural region and the other in the noncoding region, were amplified by two sets of primer pairs. With use of the nonstructural region primers, hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in 24 (60%) of 40 patients with non-A, non-B chronic hepatitis. Of these 40 patients, RNA was detected in 19 (70%) of 27 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus and in 5 (38%) of 13 patients negative for antibody to hepatitis C virus. However, with the noncoding region primers, hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in 38 (95%) of 40 patients with non-A, non-B chronic hepatitis. Of these patients, the RNA was detected in 26 (96%) of 27 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus and also in 12 (92%) of 13 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C virus RNA was not detected in any of the control patients. Sequence analysis showed homology between our samples and the prototype to be only 66% to 77% in the nonstructural region but 99% to 100% in the noncoding region. We conclude that almost all patients with non-A, non-B chronic hepatitis in Japan are currently infected with hepatitis C virus, regardless of the presence or absence of antibody to hepatitis C virus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Hepatitis C virus RNA and antibody response in the clinical course of acute hepatitis C virus infection.

Hepatitis C virus RNA, anti-hepatitis C virus immune response and biochemical markers of liver injury were investigated in 17 patients with acute non-A, non-B hepatitis. At the first observation, 1 to 3 wk from the clinical onset, all patients had hepatitis C virus RNA in their serum, and most (15 of 17) were positive for second-generation anti-hepatitis C virus enzyme immunoassay. Follow-up serum samples were available for 10 patients. The rate of recombinant immunoblot assay-confirmed anti-hepatitis C virus enzyme immunoassay reactivities increased from 67% in the first 3 wk to 86% after 21 wk. Elevated ALT levels were associated with hepatitis C virus RNA positivity in most of cases, but the viral nucleic acid was also detected in sera with normal or slightly increased enzyme values. None of the single antibodies tested were related to hepatitis C virus RNA positivity or to the clinical phase of the infection. Therefore hepatitis C virus RNA determination might provide important additional information as compared with anti-hepatitis C virus markers, allowing earlier diagnosis, discrimination of active infection and, possibly, prognostic evaluation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Transient immunoglobulin M antibody response to hepatitis C virus capsid antigen in posttransfusion hepatitis C: putative serological marker for acute viral infection.

The development of serological assays for hepatitis C virus (HCV) has made specific diagnosis possible. However, markers useful in indicating acute-phase HCV infection have not been identified. By an immunoblotting method, we characterized the IgM and IgG antibody response against HCV capsid antigen in patients with HCV infection. Among 88% of patients with acute posttransfusion hepatitis C recruited in a prospective study, there was a transient IgM antibody response. The IgM antibody appeared shortly after onset of hepatitis (average 3.7 weeks), persisted for several months (average 18 weeks), and then disappeared. In contrast, the IgG antibody persisted long-term once it appeared. Among patients with chronic hepatitis C with milder disease activities (serum aminotransferase increase above normal levels of less than 4-fold), the IgM antibody was negative in the majority (72%). In those with acute exacerbations (aminotransferase increase of greater than 10-fold), about 55% were negative for the IgM antibody. The reactivity of the IgM antibody in the rest was weaker or became negative upon further dilution of serum. The results suggest that IgM anti-capsid antibody may serve as a marker indicating acute or active HCV infection.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in serum of patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon-alpha.

We tested serial serum samples for hepatitis C virus RNA from patients undergoing treatment for chronic hepatitis C with interferon-alpha using an assay that combined reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction. The subjects studied were 20 patients with chronic hepatitis who had serum antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-C100-3). Before therapy, hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in 18 (90%) and 20 (100%) patients using primer sets derived from the NS3 region or the 5'-noncoding region of hepatitis C virus, respectively. Hepatitis C virus RNA became undetectable in all patients whose ALT level fell into the normal range during therapy. However, hepatitis C virus RNA reappeared in all patients whose ALT levels rose again after therapy, usually before the relapse. In patients whose ALT levels did not become normal, hepatitis C virus RNA did not disappear during therapy. Thus therapy with interferon-alpha appears to be beneficial in chronic hepatitis C because of its suppressive effects on hepatitis C virus replication. Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in serum is useful for evaluating the antiviral effect of interferon.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Hepatitis C virus antibody titration in patients with chronic hepatitis C, before and after interferon treatment.

We measured hepatitis C virus antibody titers in 13 patients with chronic hepatitis C to determine whether titration of hepatitis C virus antibody was useful or not, to predict and evaluate the efficacy of interferon (IFN) treatment. During administration of IFN, hepatitis C virus titers declined in all patients. Antibody titers performed before treatment as well as just at the end of treatment did not correlate with change of the alanine aminotransferase levels during administration of IFN. Antibody titers declined continuously after treatment in 5 patients with normal alanine amino-transferase levels for over 6 months after discontinuation of IFN. Antibody titers rose again in 6 patients whose alanine aminotransferase levels fluctuated after treatment. An exceptional pattern of change occurred in 2 patients whose antibody titers declined continuously although their alanine aminotransferase levels fluctuated after treatment. Repeated titration of hepatitis C virus antibody appears to be useful for evaluating the long-term efficacy of IFN treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Immunoglobulin M antibody to hepatitis C virus during interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Testing for immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) as a predictive factor of therapeutic response to recombinant interferon alfa (rIFN-alpha) in chronic hepatitis C was evaluated in 122 patients with IgG anti-HCV. IgM anti-HCV was present in the pretreatment sample of 88% of patients who responded to treatment, including 20 of 21 (95%) long-term responders and 24 of 29 (83%) responders who had relapses after cessation of therapy. In contrast, IgM anti-HCV was present in only 23 of 39 (59%) nonresponders and 22 of 33 (66%) untreated controls (P less than 0.05). The number of cases with detectable IgM anti-HCV tended to decrease in responder patients, which was more evident for complete responders (42%) than for responders who relapsed (72%). During follow-up, the antibody became undetectable in the majority of long-term responders (28% were still IgM anti-HCV positive) but remained detectable in 69% of responders who relapsed (P less than 0.05). No special changes were noted in nonresponder or control patients. Thus, testing for IgM anti-HCV may help to identify a subset of patients who will benefit from rIFN-alpha therapy in chronic hepatitis C.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Correlation between the serum level of hepatitis C virus RNA and disease activities in acute and chronic hepatitis C.

The influence of viremia on hepatic injury in patients infected with hepatitis C virus was examined by analysis of the relationship between alanine aminotransferase activity and the amount of hepatitis C virus RNA in sequential serum samples from I untreated patient with acute hepatitis C and 3 untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C. Semiquantitative analysis by the competitive-reverse-transcription/polymerase-chain-reaction method indicated that the quantity of hepatitis C virus RNA in the serum affected the disease activities of acute and chronic hepatitis C through their natural clinical courses in all these patients. The nucleotide sequence encoding the putative envelope region of the viral genome in the patient with acute hepatitis C was examined. Blood samples taken serially at 2 times of exacerbation of the hepatitis revealed 2 nucleotide mutations, resulting in changes of predicted amino acid residues. This finding suggests that nucleotide mutations in the envelope region of the viral genome may be responsible for the recurrent hepatic injury attributed to recurrence of viremia in patients with hepatitis C. From these aspects, the serial divergence of the virus genome in infected individuals, especially in the region encoding the viral envelope protein, may possibly play an important role in developing chronic infection of hepatitis C virus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗