engleski

Free HCVAg, reappearance, immunosuppression

In the analysis of free HCV antigen in various patients with HCV infection we found reappearance of this antigen during intensive immunosuppressive therapy. After the stopping of this therapy and some time after, free HCV antigen appeared again. All of these patients were positive for HCVAg-Ab complexes. Parallel with these events spetrum of individual antibodies to different HCV antigens changed - being more narrow during therapy. We try to analyse these events in more detail on a greater number of such patients. A total of 28 sera received from patients with immunosuppressive therapy, who were anti-HCV and HCVAg-Ab positive and were tested for free HCVAg and for individual antibodies to different HCV antigens. Sera samples were tested with ELISA for Qualitative HCV core antigen, with Trak-C (Total HCV Core Antigen9 for HCVAg-Ab complexes and with RIBA for individual antibodies. Control group comprised 30 anti-HCV and HCVAg-Ab complexes positive IV drug users. In all 28 patients who were under immunosuppressive therapy free HCVAg reappeared in various degrees of intensity. At the same time, in the spectrum of individual antibodies, antibody to c23c dominates withevident decrease of antibodies to c100(p), c22(p) and NS5. In conclusion it could be supposed that suppression of antibody production directed to some HCVAg epitopes enables reappearance of free HCV antigen.

Free HCVAg; reappearance; immunosuppression

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