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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Prevalence of hepatitis C serum antibody in autoimmune diseases
Journal of Autoimmunity, Volume 32, No. 3-4, Year 2009
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Description
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of serum antibodies against hepatitis C virus and other infectious agents in a large cohort of well-characterized patients with autoimmune diseases (AID). Methods: We utilized 1322 sera from patients with 18 different AID and 236 sera from healthy controls from the same countries and with similar age and sex distribution. All sera were tested for the presence of serum anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies as well as antibodies directed at other infectious agents and autoantibodies. Results: Anti-HCV antibody was detected in 115/1322 (8.7%) of patients with AID and 0.4% of matched healthy controls (P < 0.0001). The prevalence of anti-HCV antibody was significantly higher in 7/18 different AID (i.e. cryoglobulinemia, mixed cryoglobulinemia pemphigus vulgaris, vasculitis, secondary anti-phospholipid syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and inflammatory bowel disease) compared to controls. Patients with AID and serum anti-HCV positivity had an increased prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis B virus, Toxoplasma gondii and Cytomegalovirus as opposed to a lower frequency of serum autoantibodies. Conclusions: The enhanced prevalence of anti-HCV serum antibodies in AID may suggest a role for HCV in tolerance to breakdown, similarly to its established role in mixed cryoglobulinemia. This immune mediated effect does not rule out the role of other infectious agents. © 2009.
Authors & Co-Authors
Agmon-Levin, Nancy
Israel, Tel Hashomer Tel Aviv
Chaim Sheba Medical Center Israel
Selmi, Carlo Francesco
Italy, Rozzano
Humanitas Research Hospital
Gershwin, Merrill Eric E.
United States, Davis
University of California, Davis
Anaya, Juan Manuel
Colombia, Medellin
Corporacion Para Investigaciones Biologicas
Youinou, Pierre Y.
France, Brest
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Brest
Tincani, Angela A.
Italy, Brescia
Università Degli Studi Di Brescia
Tzioufas, Athanasios G.
Greece, Athens
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Cervera, Ricard
Spain, Barcelona
Hospital Clinic Barcelona
Stojanovich, Ljudmila
Serbia, Belgrade
University of Belgrade
Martin, Javier
Italy, Pisa
Università Di Pisa
González-Gay, Miguel Ángel
Spain, Lugo
Complejo Hospitalario Xeral Calde
Valentini, Gabriele
Italy, Naples
Università Degli Studi Della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli
Blank, Miri
Israel, Tel Hashomer Tel Aviv
Chaim Sheba Medical Center Israel
Rozman, Blaž
Slovenia, Ljubljana
Univerzitetni Klinični Center Ljubljana
Bombardieri, Stefano
Italy, Naples
Università Degli Studi Della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli
De Vita, S.
Italy, Udine
Università Degli Studi Di Udine
Shoenfeld, Yehuda Yulius
Israel, Tel Hashomer Tel Aviv
Chaim Sheba Medical Center Israel
Israel, Tel Aviv-yafo
Tel Aviv University
Statistics
Citations: 60
Authors: 17
Affiliations: 17
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.jaut.2009.02.017
ISSN:
10959157
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Cohort Study