Necessity for modern methods of diagnosing Hepatitis C, especially when overlapping with secondary infection

Abstract

In this study, we focused on the antimicrobial peptides and T-lymphocyte clusters indicating the immune system ability to react violently leading to reduce the organism sensitivity to bacteria tested in 87 individuals with chronic hepatitis C. All patients were divided into two groups: with chronic hepatitis C, and the group in which hepatitis C overlaps with secondary infection leading to pneumonia. Endotoxin and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) were determined using the ELISA technique. Determination of the clusters of differentiation (CD) carried out by indirect immunofluorescence reaction, while the circulating immune clusters (CIC) identified by method of sedimentation with a 3.5% solution of polyethylene glycol. Statistical processing of the results carried out using the Wilkinson U-test (Mann - Whitney). In the group of patients with hepatitis C, CD25+ was nearly halved, while in group with hepatitis aggravated by pneumonia this value lowered approximately three times. CD25+ indicator in II group was even 1.4 times less than in the group without pneumonia. Defensin levels were significantly higher in the I group, where endotoxin raises up to 24.4 vs normal levels. In the II group, aggravated by pneumonia, endotoxin elevated even up to 57.7 IU/ml, the same direction changed defensin concentration. The results of this study show, that instead of standard tests for liver damage: bilirubin, AST and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, it is much more expedient to use the antimicrobial peptides defensin and LBP, which are more informative in the diagnosis of hepatitis C, especially when it overlaps with secondary infection.