EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS AS A TRIGGER FOR AUTOIMMUNE HEPATITIS IN SUSCEPTIBLE INDIVIDUALS

During follow-up of healthy relatives of 13 patients with autoimmune h epatitis, seven cases of infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) occurred. In two of these seven, before EBV infection, the re was a defect in suppressor-inducer T lymphocytes specifically contr olling immune responses to the asialoglycoprotein receptor, an antigen expressed on the hepatocyte surface. In these two, antibodies to this autoantigen persisted and increased after infectious mononucleosis, a nd autoimmune hepatitis developed within 4 months. In susceptible indi viduals, EBV is a trigger for autoimmune hepatitis.