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High frequency of anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies in chronic hepatitis C
Mariam Ghozzi1, Amani Mankai2, Fatma Mechi3
1Department of Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Monastir University, Monastir, Tunisia; Laboratory of Immunology, Farhat Hached Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia; Research Unit "Epidemiology and Immunogenetics of Viral Infections, LR14SP02", Sahloul University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia.
Insights
Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) antibodies (ASCA) were found significantly more often in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) than in healthy individuals. This suggests a potential link between ASCA and CHC, warranting further investigation into viral infections.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Hepatology
- Virology
Background:
- Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a significant liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus.
- Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) antibodies (ASCA) are typically associated with autoimmune conditions, not viral infections.
- The presence and significance of ASCA in CHC patients remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency of ASCA in adult patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C.
- To compare ASCA levels in CHC patients against a control group of healthy blood donors.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to quantify ASCA-IgG and ASCA-IgA levels.
- The study included 88 CHC patients and 160 healthy controls.
- Statistical analyses were performed using OpenEpi version 3 and IBM® SPSS® Statistics, including Spearman's correlation test.
Main Results:
- ASCA (IgG or IgA) were detected in 31.8% of CHC patients versus 3.7% of controls (p < 10^-6).
- Both ASCA-IgG and ASCA-IgA were significantly more prevalent in CHC patients compared to healthy subjects.
- Mean levels of ASCA-IgG and ASCA-IgA were substantially higher in CHC patients than in controls (p < 10^-6 for both).
Conclusions:
- The frequency of ASCA is significantly elevated in patients suffering from chronic hepatitis C.
- These findings highlight a notable association between ASCA and CHC, differentiating it from typical viral infections.
Background And Study Aim:
Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) antibodies (ASCA) are frequently reported in autoimmune diseases but rarely in viral infections. We aimed to determine the frequency of ASCA in adult patients with CHC.
Patients And Methods:
Eighty-eight patients with CHC and 160 healthy blood donors were included in this study. ASCA-IgG and IgA levels were determined using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. For statistical analysis, we used open EPI version 3 as software. Correlations were determined by Spearman's test using IBM® SPSS® Statistics.
Results:
ASCA (IgG or IgA) were present in 31.8 % of patients and in 3.7 % of controls (p < 10-6). ASCA-IgG and ASCA-IgA were more frequent in patients with CHC than in healthy subjects (23.9 % vs. 3.1 %; p < 10-5 and 9.1 % vs. 0.6 %; p = 0.002, respectively). In patients, mean levels of ASCA-IgG and IgA were significantly higher than in controls (9.95 ± 11.78 U/mL vs. 2.28 ± 2.86 U/mL, p < 10-6 and 5.96 ± 7.69 U/mL vs. 0.56 ± 0.12 U/mL, p < 10-6; respectively). In patients with CHC, the mean level of ASCA-IgG was significantly higher than that of ASCA-IgA (9.95 ± 11.78 U/mL vs. 5.96 ± 7.69 U/mL, p = 0.008).
Conclusion:
The frequency of ASCA was significantly higher in patients with CHC than in healthy controls.
