[Liver membrane antibodies and delta infection]


De Torres M, Bas C, Bartolome J, Porres JC, Hernández Guíio C, Carreño V.

In order to determine the possible correlation between the presence of LMA and delta superinfection in HBV chronic hepatitis, 136 patients with chronic hepatitis, 20 HBsAg asymtomatic carriers and 50 controls were tested for the presence of LMA (indirect immunofluorescence); HBV markers, and anti-HD (RIA), and HBV-DNA by dot-blot hybridization.

Among patients with anti-HD positivity, HBeAg or HBV-DNA were detected in 57% of the cases. In anti-HD negative patients the percentage of HBeAg positive was 45% and HBV-DNA was detected in 50% of the cases.

In conclusion, in patients with chronic hepatitis, there is a close association between the positivity to anti-HD and the presence of circulating LMA.