[Immune-regulating Th1- and Th2-cytokines in chronic infections caused by hepatitis B and C viruses].

The serum levels of Th1 (gamma-IFN and sIL-2r) and of Th2 (IL-10) cytokines were measured in 33 patients (23 males and 10 females, mean age 23.1 +/- 1.9) with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) according to a disease etiology (6 patients with hepatitis B--CVHB, 15 patients with hepatitis C--CVHC, and 12 patients with a mixed form of chronic hepatitis B and C--HBV + HCV).

[Th1-cytokines in chronic hepatitis B and C].

Forty-four patients with chronic HBV and HCV were observed. Serum levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and soluble IL-2 receptor (IL-2r) were measured by enzyme immunoassay in 29 patients divided into 3 groups: group 1 (n = 9) with chronic HBV, group 2 (n = 9) with chronic HCV, and group 3 (n = 11) with mixed HBV + HCV infection. Control group consisted of 10 normal subjects without HBV, HCV, or HIV infection markers.

[Hepatitis A in Estonia (1990-1999)].

During recent 10 years (1990-1999) essential changes occurred the epidemiology of viral hepatitis A (VHA) in Estonia: simultaneously with a decreased level of morbidity (morbidity rate per 100,000 of the population was 78.4 in 1990 and 7.7 in 1996, or 1,241 and 112 cases, respectively), a shift in the age structure of patients from children of preschool age to older age groups took place.

[Functional and metabolic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in acute viral hepatitis B and C].

The functional metabolic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in acute virus hepatitis B (VHB) and/or virus hepatitis C (VHC) was evaluated. 48 patients were examined; of these, VHB was diagnosed in 28 patients and VHC was diagnosed in 9 patients and the mixed form of virus hepatitis (VHB + VHC), in 11 patients. Determination of adhesive capacity of neutrophils, production of superoxidase anion in the nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) test, activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and acidic phosphatase (AP), the amount of cation proteins (CP) was made.

[Interferon system status in hemodialysis patients infected with hepatitis B and C viruses].

The production of alpha- and gamma-interferon (IFN) by peripheral blood cells in vitro and the concentration of serum IFN were studied in patients treated by hemodialysis at the Pelgulinna Tallinn Hospital and compared to controls. Out of 108 patients on hemodialysis, 19.4% were infected with hepatitis B (HBV), and antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) were detected in 7.