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Are Nuclear Particles Specific for Non‐A, Non‐B Hepatitis?
Author(s) -
Vos Rita De,
Vanstapel Marie J.,
Desmyter Jan,
WolfPeeters Chris De,
Groote Guy De,
Colaert Jan,
Mortelmans Jan,
Groote Jan De,
Fevery Johan,
Desmet Valeer
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840030410
Subject(s) - hbsag , hepatitis , hepatitis b , virology , serology , hepatitis b virus , medicine , liver disease , virus , hepatitis a , immunology , gastroenterology , antibody
This study reports the findings of an electron microscopic search for so‐called non‐A, non‐B nuclear particles in liver biopsies from patients with mainly chronic or prolonged liver disease and from chimpanzees. In patients without hepatitis B virus or acute hepatitis A virus serological markers, non‐A, non‐B‐like nuclear particles were seen in hepatocytes in 28 of 31 cases of presumed non‐A, non‐B hepatitis, but also in 11 of 12 cases of liver disease not usually attributed to hepatitis viruses. They were also seen in 22 of 24 patients with HBsAg, in 3 of 3 patients with anti‐HBc and no HBsAg, in 1 of 2 patients with hepatitis A, in a case of cytomegalovirus hepatitis, and in 16 of 19 patients whose serology was not available or inconclusive. The particles were present in 1 of 8 untreated HBsAg‐negative chimpanzees and in 2 of 2 HBsAg‐positive chimpanzees. They appeared in 4 of 4 chimpanzees developing non‐A, non‐B hepatitis following exposure to various inocula. Three patterns of particle aggregates were distinguished, all of which had been shown by others in non‐A, non‐B hepatitis. Dense aggregates were predominant, while others have shown intermediate aggregates more often; reasons for this difference could be technical. No pattern was specific for any condition. Either non‐A, non‐B‐like nuclear particles, although associated with non‐A, non‐B hepatitis, are not specific for this condition, or non‐A, non‐B hepatitis viruses are extremely more common than is currently appreciated.