Abstract

Vatev N, Stoycheva M*, Petrov A and Terzieva T

There is evidence of change in the level of serum immunoglobulins (Ig) in patients with hepatitis A and attempts for these changes to be associated with the clinical course of the disease. The aim of this study is to establish the quantitative changes of IgA, IgG and IgM in hepatitis A patients and to evaluate their significance for the clinical course of the disease. A total of 125 persons were examined: 35 patients with prolonged form of HAV; 51 patients with self limited form of HAV; 35 healthy persons – control group. In comparison with the control group, a substantial increase of IgA, IgG and IgM was found in patients with prolonged form of HAV. In patients with self limited form of HAV, the increase was significant for IgG and IgA, and insignificant for IgM. The research on serum Ig supplements the research panel performed for patients with HAV and may have prognostic importance in determining the severity of the disease and the prolonged forms of HAV.