A case of acute hepatitis in a normal adult due to primary dual infection of EBV and CMV and accompanied by high serum activity of aminotransferases.

We analyze the case of a 49-year-old male patient who presented with clinical signs of acute hepatitis with an initial suspicion of autoimmune etiology. Laboratory findings demonstrated positive antinuclear antibody, anti-smooth muscle antibody and high serum gamma globulin. Histology of the liver biopsy revealed changes compatible with autoimmune hepatitis, which associated with an International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group score of 7, determined the initiation of treatment with Meprednisolone and Azathioprine. During the follow-up, we received positive serological results of immunoglobulin M against hepatitis E virus with detectable viremia by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique, changing the diagnosis to acute hepatitis secondary to hepatitis E virus. Immunosuppression was suspended and the patient continued with clinical and biochemical improvement. In Argentina, hepatitis E virus testing is not routinely performed, however, to avoid misdiagnosis, this etiology should be ruled out in patients with acute hepatitis before labeling it as autoimmune hepatitis. This could reduce unnecessary treatment that could endanger our patients.

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Tissue Polypeptide Antigen (Tpa) Modifications in Hepatic Cirrhosis, Aggressive Chronic Hepatitis, Persistent Chronic Hepatitis, and in Minimal Pathology

The International Journal of Biological Markers ◽

10.1177/172460088800300209 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 127-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

S. Sabbatani ◽

M. Monti ◽

A. Fini

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Acute Hepatitis ◽

Liver Diseases ◽

Hepatic Cirrhosis ◽

High Serum ◽

Tissue Polypeptide Antigen ◽

Hepatic Biopsy

A total of 104 patients with various liver diseases were studied. Hepatic biopsy was performed and the AST, ALT and TPA in serum were measured. Higher levels of TPA, AST and ALT were found in CAH and LC, lower in CPH and MHP. High serum TPA values, usually suggesting the possibility of neoplasm, should be considered with attention. A follow-up with periodic TPA assays (in addition to AST and ALT) is suggested in patients with acute hepatitis, in order to predict further possible complications such as CAH and LC.

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Serum Soluble Vascular-Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in Patients with Acute and Chronic Liver Diseases

Disease Markers ◽

10.1155/1996/129325 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 11-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Mario Pirisi ◽

Carlo Fabris ◽

Edmondo Falleti ◽

Giorgio Soardo ◽

Pierluigi Toniutto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Adhesion ◽

Liver Disease ◽

Acute Hepatitis ◽

Analysis Of Variance ◽

High Serum ◽

Chronic Liver ◽

Vascular Cell Adhesion ◽

Vascular Cell ◽

Mean Values ◽

Cell Adhesion Molecule 1

Our ai m was to ascertai n the degree of variation of serum soluble vascular cell adhesion moleculeI (VCAM-1) concentrations according to the nature and the severity of an underl ying liver disease . One-hundred forty sera collected from 123 patients (83 male, 40 female) with acute hepatitis (n=14). mi Id chronic Ii ver disease (n=52) or cirrhosis (n=57) of different etiologies as well as from 17 healthy blood donors (8 male, 9 female) were studied. Soluble VCAM-I concentration was measured immunoenzymatically. One-way analysis of variance revealed a significant variability of the mean values of soluble VCAM-1 among groups (F=80.02, p <0.000 I). All groups of patients had higher soluble VCAM-I than controls; moreover, patients with acute hepatitis and patients with cirrhosis had higher soluble VCAM-1 levels than patients with mild chronic liver disease (Bonferroni's test. p <0.(1). These results did not change after stratification of patients according to the etiology (viral or toxic) of liver disease (two-way analysis of variance: grouping factor diagnosis, F=60.39, p <0.000 I; grouping factor etiology. F= 1.73, p NS). Cholinesterase, total bilirubin, circulating thrombocytes and blood urea nitrogen were the independent predictors of the concentration of soluble VCAM-1. In conclusion, patients with liver disease have high serum soluble VCAM-1, which seems to reflect more the severity of impairment of liver function rather than the etiologic nature of the disease.

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Fibronexus-Like Adhesion Sites are Present at the Invasive Zones of Human Epidermoid Carcinomas

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100053280 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 40 ◽

pp. 106-109

Author(s):

Irwin I. Singer

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Serum Concentration ◽

Substrate Binding ◽

High Serum ◽

Adhesion Sites ◽

Substrate Adhesion ◽

Focal Contacts ◽

Adhesion Complex ◽

Low Serum

Our previous results indicate that two types of fibronectin-cytoskeletal associations may be formed at the fibroblast surface: dorsal matrixbinding fibronexuses generated in high serum (5% FBS) cultures, and ventral substrate-adhering units formed in low serum (0.3% FBS) cultures. The substrate-adhering fibronexus consists of at least vinculin (VN) and actin in its cytoplasmic leg, and fibronectin (FN) as one of its major extracellular components. This substrate-adhesion complex is localized in focal contacts, the sites of closest substratum approach visualized with interference reflection microscopy, which appear to be the major points of cell-tosubstrate adhesion. In fibroblasts, the latter substrate-binding complex is characteristic of cultures that are arrested at the G1 phase of the cell cycle due to the low serum concentration in their medium. These arrested fibroblasts are very well spread, flattened, and immobile.

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Characterization of Tamm-Horsfall Urinary Glycoprotein

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010007254x ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 420-421

Author(s):

John P. Robinson ◽

J. David Puett

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Circular Dichroism ◽

Secondary Structure ◽

Quaternary Structure ◽

Normal Adult ◽

Morphological Properties ◽

Adult Males ◽

Circular Dichroïsm ◽

Urinary Glycoprotein

Much work has been reported on the chemical, physical and morphological properties of urinary Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THG). Although it was once reported that cystic fibrotic (CF) individuals had a defective THG, more recent data indicate that THG and CF-THG are similar if not identical.No studies on the conformational aspects have been reported on this glycoprotein using circular dichroism (CD). We examined the secondary structure of THG and derivatives under various conditions and have correlated these results with quaternary structure using electron microscopy.THG was prepared from normal adult males and CF-THG from a 16-year old CF female by the method of Tamm and Horsfall. CF female by the method of Tamm and Horsfall.

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