0000000000083192
AUTHOR
Luisa Romanò
Low prevalence of anti-HCV antibody among Italian children
The seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibody was studied among 2,749 children and teenagers (1,438 males and 1,311 females) living in Italy. Anti-HCV antibody testing was positive by both EIA and RIBA in ten (0.36%) subjects. The positivity rate increased with age, ranging from 0 among children less than 6 years of age to 0.8% among those aged 17-19 years chi 2 linear regression = 0.038). Anti-HCV prevalence ranged from 0.2% in northeastern regions and in Apulia to 0.6% in Sicily and Sardinia (p0.005), and no difference was seen between males (0.35%, C.I. 95%: 0.04-0.66) and females (0.38%, C.I. 95%: 0.04-0.66) (Fisher's exact test = 0.565). From these data it appears that in Italy HCV infection…
Modulation of epitope-specific anti-hepatitis C virus E2 (anti-HCV/E2) antibodies by antiviral treatment
The dynamic features of three specific anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody subpopulations directed against different conformational epitopes of the viral E2 protein (HCV/E2) have been evaluated in patients with primary and persistent HCV infection; the three subpopulations are present in patients infected with different HCV genotypes and have shown a different activity using a pseudovirus neutralization assay (antibodies e301 and e137 exhibiting high neutralizing activity, while antibody e509 enhancement of HCV infectivity). In sequential samples from five patients with primary HCV infection and different virological outcome, all samples tested negative with the single exception of the e5…