IGG AND IGM CORE ANTIBODIES AND VIRAL REPLICATION IN HEPATITIS-C VIRUS CARRIERS

We studied IgG and IgM antibodies to hepatitis C virus core protein (a nti-HCVcore) in relation to serum virus RNA levels in 71 hepatitis C v irus carriers. Viremic levels ranged from 10(4)-10(9) copies/ml and we re high in 34 chronic active hepatitis patients compared with 17 asymp tomatic carriers and 20 cases of chronic persistent hepatitis (p<0.01) . IgG anti-HCVcore was found in 67/71 (94%), but four asymptomatic car riers with low levels of viremia (10(4)-10(55) copies/ml) tested negat ive. IgM anti-HCVcore was found in patients with high levels of viremi a (10(8)-10(9) copies/ml), and one (6%) asymptomatic carrier and nine (26%) chronic active hepatitis patients tested positive. In chronic he patitis patients, viremic levels were significantly higher in cases po sitive for IgM anti-HCVcore than in negative ones (p<0.01). However, n o correlation was found between the occurrence of IgM anti-HCVcore and serum aminotransferase levels or the histologic activity index. These findings suggest that although IgG anti-HCVcore is sensitive, low vir emic patients can escape this screening, and that the IgM anti-HCVcore is induced in association with high levels of virus replication. (C) Journal of Hepatology.