IgM antibody response in acute hepatitis C viral infection
JM Clemens, S Taskar, K Chau, D Vallari, JW Shih, HJ Alter, JB Schleicher and LT Mimms
Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL 60064.
IgM antibody against hepatitis C virus (IgM anti-HCV) was measured in
serial samples from 15 transfusion recipients in whom posttransfusion
chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH) developed and three plasmapheresis
donors during acute HCV infection using recombinant proteins derived from
three immunodominant regions: core, NS-3, and NS- 4 (c100). IgM anti-HCV
core was detected in 13 of 15 posttransfusion patients. Nine of these
patients had transient, acute-phase IgM anti- HCV core detected
coincidentally or earlier than active IgG anti-HCV core response. The
average duration of IgM anti-HCV core reactivity was 8.1 +/- 3.7 weeks. One
patient lacking an IgM anti-HCV core response had detectable IgM anti-HCV
NS-3 during the acute phase. Passive transfer of IgM anti-HCV was not
observed in these posttransfusion cases, in contrast to the high frequency
observed for IgG anti-HCV. Late IgM anti-HCV was detectable against core,
c100, and NS-3 in three, two, and one posttransfusion patients,
respectively. These data indicate that IgM anti-HCV core is a useful
acute-phase marker in HCV infection.
Volume 79,
Issue 1,
pp. 169-172,
01/01/1992
Copyright © 1992 by The American Society of Hematology
