Cellular immune response in acute hepatitis B leading to chronic carrier state

Abstract

Immunological studies among jaundiced patients revealed significant changes in T-helper and T-suppressor cells among chronic HBV cases from the acute and control groups. The chronic cases revealed a highly significant decrease in interleukin-2R expression but their low interferon-gamma values were statistically nonsignificant from the control group. The acute cases recorded the highest interleukin-2R and interferon-gamma values. Lymphocyte blastogenesis assay in response to different mitogens and antigens produced two groups: responders [acute cases] and nonresponders [chronic cases]. The responders revealed more intact specific and nonspecific cellular immune responses. Neither group differed with regard to their proliferative response to HBsAg, but vigorous response to HBcAg was a significant feature of the responders