C型肝炎に関するシンポジウム

抄録

Measurement of 2nd generation anti-HCV, quantitative detection of HGV-RNA using PCR and clinical application of interferon have brought a rapid progress on diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C. In this symposium many important problems as follows were discussed by five symposists.
For early diagnosis of acute hepatitis C, anti-core assay is useful, but detection of anti core IgM is difficult as well as of C-100. In differential diagnosis between acute hepatitis and relapse from carrier state, both negative anti-HCV at acute stage and positive at convalescent stage have to be confirmed. Sensitivity of 2nd generation anti-HCV assay is higher than of anti C-100, but some problems on specificity still remained.
For monitoring in interferon therapy, anti C-100 assay is useful, but evaluation of efficacy by HCV-RNA is necessary. In several effective cases with normalization of ALT, HCV-RNA was still detectable. PCR is the most sensitive method for virological diagnosis, on the other hand identical results were not always obtained by comparative examination of the same samples at different laboratories. Clinical efficacy of interferon therapy is not so high as once thought in the early study, but it is possible that decrease of HCV-RNA and ALT can prevent progression of hepatitis. On the problem of needle stick injury among hospital workers, reliable method to prevent hepatitis C is unkuown. Considering of low frequency of hepatitis after needle stick and high efficacy of interferon to acute hepatitis C, interferon can be administrated after falling ill.