HEPATITIS-B VIRUS AS A PROBABLE FACTOR IN ETIOLOGY OF SJOGREN DISEASE

Various profiles of serum HBV markers (HbsAg) were identified in 16 pa tients, markers of active replication in 4 patients (HbeAg, 2 cases; H BcAb IgM, 1 case; HBcAb IgM and HbsAg IgM, 1 case out) of 22 patients with Sjogren disease (SD) having serum HBV markers and systemic manife stations. Of these 3 had a history of acute viral hepatitis, 12 were p reviously at risk to be infected with hepatitis viruses, 7 had neither the disease nor its risk factors, none of thein had chronic active he patitis or hepatic cirrhosis, 7 exhibited clinical signs of pseudolymp homa, 1 had serum monoclonal IgM cappa in the presence of HBV active r eplication markers (HBsAg IgM, HbcAb IgM). The present and previous da ta (on association of SS with chronic active hepatitis and hepatic cir rhosis due to HBV) suggest the involvement of the virus in SD etiology .