Significance of various classes of anti-HBc in individuals with chronic asymptomatic HBV infection.

ABSTRACT

Among 108 individuals with chronic asymptomatic hepatitis B virus infection, liver biopsies and serological investigation were performed simultaneously to determine the correlations of anti-HBc with the infection level of the liver pathology. The results showed that the prevalence of IgA and IgM anti-HBc, and the titers of IgA, IgM, and total anti-HBc, correlated with the liver damage. IgA anti-HBc was most prominent, being present in the whole group of patients with chronic active hepatitis with cirrhosis, and was absent in the whole group of asymptomatic carriers with normal histology. There were no linkages of IgA and IgM anti-HBc with the infectivity; in addition, the titer of total anti-HBc correlated inversely with the viral replication.