Viral Hepatitis Is a Possible Trigger for Autoimmune Liver Diseases

In recent years, there has been an increase in the incidence of autoimmune liver diseases (AILD) among women and men in all age groups, their etiology remains unknown. The purpose of the study. To confirm the possible role of hepatitis viruses in the development of AILD. Material and methods. During the period 2019–2021, 141 patients with AILD were examined in the department of chronic liver Diseases of Moscow Clinical Scientific and Practical center named after A.S. Loginov of the Moscow Department of Health. The examination included the determination of anti-HAV IgG, anti-HEV IgG, HBsAg, anti-HBcorе IgG, anti-HBs, anti-HCV, DNA HBV, RNA HCV, ANA-НЕр-2, liver fibroelastometry (FE), magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), liver biopsy (LB). The risk of developing AILD in people who have had hepatitis A, B, and E virus infections was assessed by calculating the odds ratio. Statistical processing was carried out by standard methods. Results. The main group consisted of patients with AILD (n = 139) of them with AIH (n = 46), PBC (n = 74), PSC (n = 19), the control group (KG) (n = 125) – without chronic liver diseases. The high prevalence of IgG class antibodies to hepatitis viruses (HV) A, B, E was reliably demonstrated among patients with AILD (n = 104; 74.8%) compared with KG (n = 68; 54.4%), P < 0.001, and anti-HCV was most often detected (n = 87; 63%), p < 0.002 and anti-HBcore (n = 36;25%), p < 0.031. The highest prevalence of anti-HAV and anti-HBcore was determined – 70% (p < 0.001) and 29% (p < 0.016), respectively, in the PBC group. No significant differences were obtained for PSC and AIH. HBV DNA was detected in the blood of two patients n = 2 (2.5%), that the presence of DNA latent viral hepatitis B. Conclusion. As a result of the study, the epidemiological relationship of transferred viral hepatitis A and B with AILD (in particular, PBС) was revealed. The data obtained confirm the role of hepatitis viruses as possible triggers of AILD and the probable involvement of HBV infection in the pathogenesis of PBC.