Quantitative aberrations in serum immunoglobulins in children with acute viral hepatitis

: Serum levels of IgG, IgA and IgM were determined by LASER nephelometry in 134 patients with acute viral hepatitis. Different types of hepatitis were serologically differentiated by radioimmunoassays. 102 patients had hepatitis A, 27 patients hepatitis B and 5 hepatitis non-A-non-B infections. 30 patients with hepatitis A and 9 with hepatitis B were checked in a follow-up-study. The IgA levels showed the least changes and were found to be within normal range in over 75% in hepatitis types A and B. On the other hand, IgG levels and - to a greater extent - IgM levels were found to be elevated in a great number of these patients. Levels below the 2s-range were found only rarely. Children with hepatitis B had elevated IgG and IgM in 44,4% and 33,3% of the cases. In patients with hepatitis A IgG level elevations (above 2s-range) were found in 44,2% and IgM level elevations in 96, 1% of the cases. No significant differences were found between the age Groups 0-1 year, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-15 years of patients with hepatitis A regarding their serum immunoglobulin levels. 14 days after diagnosis a decrease of the elevated IgM was found in patients with hepatitis A parallel to an increase in the IgG values. No significant changes were observed in patients with hepatitis B. The IgA levels remained constant both in patients with hepatitis A and B infections. For hepatitis non-A-non-B a statistical evaluation was not possible due to the small number of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)