https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/537254
Title: | Absence or delayed appearance of hepatitis B core antibody in chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carrier children | Authors: | YEN-HSUAN NI HONG-YUAN HSU MEI-HWEI CHANG Chen D.-S. Lee C.-Y. |
Issue Date: | 1993 | Journal Volume: | 17 | Journal Issue: | 2 | Start page/Pages: | 150-154 | Source: | Journal of Hepatology | Abstract: | An absence of the hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier children has been reported before, but whether anti-HBc will ultimately appear is unknown. In a group of 420 HBsAg carrier children who were followed longitudinally, 10 (2.4%) had an absence or delayed appearance of serum anti-HBc. These 10 children were persistently seropositive for HBsAg, hepatitis B e-antigen, and hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV-DNA). Anti-HBc never appeared in 4, one of whom was a case of hepatitis B vaccine failure and became an HBsAg carrier. Three of the 4 were born to HBsAg carrier mothers. Liver biopsy in one revealed non-specific reactive hepatitis (NSRH). All 4 were asymptomatic during follow-up. Mothers of the other 6 children who had delayed appearance of anti-HBc were also HBsAg carriers. The children seroconverted to anti-HBc positivity between 2 and 8 years of age, and the titer of serum anti-HBc at the first appearance varied. There were no significant changes in liver function tests, HBV-DNA levels, or associated symptoms and signs before and after seroconversion. Liver biopsies were performed before anti-HBc seroconversion in 2 children and showed NSRH. All 10 children had a moderate to high replication of HBV as shown by the high titer of HBsAg and HBV-DNA. The absence of anti-HBc occurred almost exclusively in children who were infected perinatally. The delayed appearance of anti-HBc in our cases suggests that although an immune tolerance to hepatitis B core antigen exists in early infancy, this tolerance eventually wanes with anti-HBc formation, and is not associated with marked hepatocellular damage as revealed by insignificant changes in biochemical, viral and serological data before and after anti-HBc seroconversion. ? 1993 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. |
URI: | https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0027500114&doi=10.1016%2fS0168-8278%2805%2980030-3&partnerID=40&md5=661e7334596f712c8e6e9d6d812c1caa https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/537254 |
ISSN: | 0168-8278 | DOI: | 10.1016/S0168-8278(05)80030-3 | SDG/Keyword: | hepatitis b core antibody; hepatitis b surface antigen; article; child; controlled study; female; hepatitis b; human; infant; major clinical study; male; priority journal; seroconversion; Biological Markers; Carrier State; Child; Child, Preschool; DNA, Viral; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B Antibodies; Hepatitis B Core Antigens; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; Hepatitis B Virus; Human; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Liver; Male; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Time Factors [SDGs]SDG3 |
Appears in Collections: | 醫學系 |
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