Study of the significance of percentage of peripheral CD4+ & CD8+ T cells and the hepatitis C virus genotypes in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Sequence comparison between isolates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) indicated that HCV can be classified into a series of distinct genotypes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of HCV genotypes, to evaluate clinical relevance of percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in blood, and to find out predictors of response to interferon (IFN) therapy in Egyptian chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. The present study included 61 CHC patients who were subjected to HCV-RNA detection, HCV genotyping, and determination of percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in blood before and after six months treatment with IFN.

Hepatitis C virus transmission in family members of Egyptian patients with HCV related chronic liver disease.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Egypt has become a major public health problem. In the present study, sexual and intrafamilial transmission of HCV infection were assessed in the family members of 200 Egyptian patients (index patients) with HCV-RNA positive and biopsy ascertained chronic hepatitis C. Index patients were 139 men (mean age 55+/-11 years) and 61 women (mean age 48+/-8 years).

Duration of peginterferon therapy in acute hepatitis C: a randomized trial.

Spontaneous resolution of acute hepatitis C virus infection cannot be predicted, and chronic evolution of the disease occurs in a majority of cases. To assess the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alpha-2b administered for 8, 12, or 24 weeks in patients with acute hepatitis C virus infection a total of 161 patients were identified with acute hepatitis C virus infection. Of these, 30 patients refused treatment but were retained in the study as a nonrandomized comparison group.

Peginterferon {alpha}-2b and ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4: impact of treatment duration and viral kinetics on sustained virological response.

Background: The response rates and duration of peginterferon alpha (PEG-IFN-alpha) and ribavirin combination therapy in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4, the prevalent genotype in the Middle East and Africa, are poorly documented.

Aims: To compare the efficacy and safety of 24, 36, or 48 weeks of PEG-IFN-alpha-2b and ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4.

Methods: In this prospective, randomised, double blind study, 287 patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 4 were randomly assigned to PEG-IFN-alpha-2b (1.

Cellular immune responses in seronegative sexual contacts of acute hepatitis C patients.

Acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) is typically defined as new viremia and antibody seroconversion. Rates and immunologic correlates of hepatitis C clearance have therefore been based on clearance of viremia only in individuals who initially had an antibody response. We sought to characterize the immunological correlates of clearance in patients with acute hepatitis C and their sexual contacts.

Pegylated interferon alpha therapy in acute hepatitis C: relation to hepatitis C virus-specific T cell response kinetics.

Pegylated interferon alpha (PEG IFN-alpha) improves sustained virological response rates in chronic hepatitis C, but neither its role in acute hepatitis C nor the biologic basis for its action has been defined. This prospective study assessed the efficacy of PEG IFN-alpha treatment in acute hepatitis C in relation to the kinetics of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD4(+) T cell responses during therapy and follow-up. Forty subjects with proven acute hepatitis C who received either PEG IFN-alpha plus ribavirin (n = 20) or PEG IFN-alpha monotherapy (n = 20) for 24 weeks in addition to 14 untreated subjects with acute hepatitis C were prospectively followed.

Hepatitis C virus genotyping versus serotyping in Egyptian patients.

Background: The RNA genome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) displays extensive sequence variation. In this study, serotyping and genotyping techniques were applied to assess this variability by comparing the performance of the serotyping assay with a panel of well-characterized HCV strains isolated from chronic active hepatitis (CAH) patients.

Patients And Methods: 60 serum samples from CAH patients were analyzed.

Clinical, virological and histopathological features: long-term follow-up in patients with chronic hepatitis C co-infected with S. mansoni.

Background/aims: Infection with Schistosoma mansoni is endemic in Egypt leading to hepatic schistosomiasis and eventually portal hypertension. The prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis virus C among Egyptians is 14-51%. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of schistosomiasis on chronic hepatitis C with respect to the natural course of the disease, immunology, virology and histology.

A prospective study: prediction of the first variceal haemorrhage in schistosomal and non schistosomal liver disease.

A prospective study was conducted on liver disease patients without previous history of bleeding (haematemesis and/or melena) to identify those at highest risk of bleeding. A hundred and twenty non-alcoholic patients (96 males and 24 females), ages ranging from 30 to 60 years were studied. Patients were followed for up to two years or to time of bleeding (mean 18 +/- 7.

Biochemical and virological response (by PCR) to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C.

Interferon-alpha has been established for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. However, the complete responding rate is not higher than 20-25%. Our study was carried out on sixty patients with chronic HCV infection with the following criteria: elevated serum ALT levels, positive antibodies to HCV (by second generation ELISA and RIBA tests) and positive HCV in serum by PCR.

Correlation between intensity of infection and hepatic histopathological lesions in bilharzial patients.

Liver biopsy examination of 106 patients showed 47 with pure bilharzial liver, 16 with chronic persistent hepatitis, 19 with chronic persistent hepatitis associated with bilharzial liver, 14 with chronic active hepatitis and 10 with chronic active bilharzial liver. There was significant correlation between intensity of infection and bilharzial affection of the liver.

Correlation between circulating schistosomal antigen, schistosomal complement C3 and intensity of infection.

53.7% of the already parasitologically proved schistosomiasis cases showed circulating schistosomal antigen (C.S.

HBSAg antigenaemia in bilharzial patients.

The frequency of HBSAg in bilharzial patients (7%) was significantly higher than that in non bilharzial ones (2-5%). The presence of insulted liver by bilharzial, non bilharzial (C.P.

Dot-ELISA in diagnosis of schistosomiasis.

One microliter of S. mansoni egg antigen was dotted directly on the nitrocellulose paper sheet acting as the adsorbent surface (9 dots/paper). The sera of 25 Egyptian patients and 15 healthy persons (2 microliters of each) were dotted over the antigen dots, then 2 ml of each of the blocking, washing, HRP-conjugated IgG and DAB adding procedures, were added over the nitrocellulose paper in the petri-dish at room temperature.

Schistosomiasis and transient nephritis in children.

Transient nephritis, manifested by albuminuria may be caused by the deposition of the circulating schistosomal antigen in the kidney glomeruli.

Hepatic schistosomiasis and chronic active hepatitis.

As part of an investigation of the possible role of autoimmune mechanisms in the development of chronic active hepatitis (CAH) in schistosomiasis, sera from 25 patients (Group I) with hepatic schistosomiasis without histological features of CAH and 5 patients (Group II) with CAH and intestinal mansoniasis, but without discernible hepatic infection, were examined for the presence of the liver membrane antibody (LMA) that is reportedly associated with the autoimmune variant of CAH. All patients were HBsAg-negative. Circulating LMA was found in 17 (68%) Group I and 3 (60%) Group II patients.

Immunoglobulins in bilharzial patients with and without chronic hepatitis.

The mean values of IgG and IgA were significantly higher in bilharzial patients than in the non bilharzial ones. The mean IgG level in patients with S. mansoni was significantly higher than that in patients with negative stool while the reverse was true as regards IgA.

The relationship between uncomplicated schistosomiasis and hepatitis B infection.

Clinical and laboratory findings and hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers were compared in 105 patients with uncomplicated schistosomiasis mansoni, schistosomiasis haematobium, or both infections. 34 (32%) had HBs antigen (Ag); 51 (49%) had anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc; 20 (19%) had no markers for HBV. In comparison with the non-HBV-infected group, the group with HBsAg had more complaints of nausea and vomiting, and higher mean values for serum bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase, and were less likely to complain of loose stools.

Circulating antigens for assessing cure in schistosomiasis mansoni.

An antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using antibodies made in rabbits and sheep to adult Schistosoma mansoni extract antigens has been developed and evaluated as a diagnostic test for schistosomiasis. 25 of 42 patients with S. mansoni infections had detectable circulating antigen while sera from all of 45 normal subjects and patients with other parasitic infections did not react.