[NA, a specific system for polymorphonuclear neutrophils: localization, biochemistry, genetics, frequency role in pathology]. / Na, le système spécifique des polymorphonucléaires neutrophiles: localisation, biochimie, génétique, fréquence et rôle en pathologie.

Among the neutrophil polynuclear specific antigens (NA, NB, ND, NE, ...), NA antigen is the most common. It is a glycoprotein situated on the neutrophils FcRIIIb-receptor and presents 2 forms: NA1 and NA2. The epitope responsible of that polymorphism has got an amino acids composition that is unknown. The first techniques used for their analysis were the microagglutination and the granulocytotoxicity-later, the immunofluorescence, the chemiluminescence and the MAIGA (Monoclonal Antibody Immobilized granulocyte Antigen) were introduced. These last years, more efficient techniques appeared like Flow Cytometry and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) that allowed phenotyping and genotyping of neutrophil polymorphonuclear specific antigens. The studies indicated that NA antigen frequency varies according to the populations and the ethnics. NA2 allelic form is more frequent than NA1 in the caucasian population (88% VS 46%). In human pathology, NA antigen is implicated in the physiopathological mechanisms of the alloimmune and probably auto-immune neutropenies.

[Screening and confirmation of anti-HCV antibodies in Tunisian blood donors]. / Dépistage et confirmation des anticorps anti-VHC chez les donneurs de sang tunisiens.

Antibodies to Hepatitis C virus (HCV) were tested in 43000 Tunisian blood donors by using enzyme immuno-assay. Our results show that 0.7% (304/43000) were anti-HVC positive. Of these 304.78 were confirmed anti-HCV positive (0.18%) by immuno-blot, and 99 displayed an indeterminate profile. Different immune responses were observed: In donors with positive serologic pattern (78/304), 25.6% response towards whole antigens (C + NS3 + NS4 + NS5) was frequently observed (44/78) 56.4%. Reactivity to 2 antigens was observed in 28.2% (22/78) and with 3 antigens in only 15.4% (12/78), with systematic reactivity to core. In donors with indeterminate serologic pattern (99/304) 32.5%, reactivity to non-structural antigen NS5 was the most frequently observed (54/99) 54.5%, reactivity to non-structural NS3 antigen was noted in 27.3% (27/99) and to core antigen in 18.2% (18/99). No donors with isolated reactivity to NS4 were observed in our series.

[HCV antibodies in hemodialyzed patients in Tunisia]. / Anticorps anti-HCV chez les hémodialysés en Tunisie.

The prevalence of seropositivity to Hepatitis C and B virus and HIV infection in Haemodialysis patients was assessed in sera from 235 patients from 6 dialysis units in Tunisia. Anti-HCV antibodies were found in 106 patients (45.10%), the hepatitis B surface antigene was found in 19 patients (8%), and no case of HIV infection was found. Anti-HCV positivity was correlated with duration of dialysis (p < 0.001). There was no correlation between anti-HCV positivity and the number of transfusions.