IgM anti-HBc in anti-HBe positive chronic type B hepatitis with acute exacerbations
Kazuhiko Koike
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Shiro Iino M.D.
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7–3–1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan===Search for more papers by this authorKiyohiko Kurai
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorKeiji Mitamura
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorYasuo Endo
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorHiroshi Oka
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorKazuhiko Koike
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Shiro Iino M.D.
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7–3–1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan===Search for more papers by this authorKiyohiko Kurai
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorKeiji Mitamura
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorYasuo Endo
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorHiroshi Oka
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Infectious Disease, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
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.
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