IgM anti-HBc in anti-HBe positive chronic type B hepatitis... : Hepatology (original) (raw)

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IgM anti-HBc in anti-HBe positive chronic type B hepatitis with acute exacerbations

Koike, Kazuhiko1; Iino, Shiro M.D.*, 1; Kurai, Kiyohiko1; Mitamura, Keiji1; Endo, Yasuo1; Oka, Hiroshi1

1_First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan_

*Address reprint requests to: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan

Received November 22, 1985; accepted March 20, 1986; previously published online December 06, 2005

Abstract

IgM anti-HBc was measured by radioimmunoassay in serially collected serum samples during 20 acute exacerbations which developed in 14 patients with anti-HBe positive chronic type B hepatitis. IgM anti-HBc became positive in 12 of the 14 (86%) patients and in 18 of the 20 (90%) exacerbations, and elevation of IgM anti-HBc which was believed to be significant was also observed in the remaining two patients. In most of the patients who also had determinations of serum hepatitis B virus DNA, the hepatitis B virus DNA became positive. These results suggest that ALT elevation in anti-HBe positive chronic type B hepatitis is associated with active replication of hepatitis B virus. It is considered to be useful to measure IgM anti-HBc for the purpose of identifying the causes of ALT elevation in anti-HBe positive chronic type B hepatitis.