[Simultaneous detection of IgM antibodies against the hepatitis A virus and the viral capsid antigen of Epstein-Barr virus in acute hepatitis].

The simultaneous detection of IgM antibodies to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV IgM) and IgM antibodies to viral capsid antigen (anti-VCA IgM) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with acute viral hepatitis has led us to systematically study serological markers of EBV in patients with anti-HAV IgM positive acute hepatitis and to test for anti-HAV IgM in sera of patients with acute hepatitis associated with serological evidence of current primary EBV infection. All patients studied were HBsAg negative and were not drug-addicts, nor homosexuals. In 15 consecutive patients with anti-HAV IgM positive acute hepatitis, anti-HAV IgM and anti-VCA EBV IgM antibodies were simultaneously detected in 9 cases. Of these 9 patients, antibodies to nuclear antigen were positive in 8 cases, antibodies to early antigen were positive in 7 cases and rheumatoid factor was positive in 4 cases. In 5 consecutive patients with acute hepatitis associated with serological evidence of current primary EBV infection, anti-HAV IgM was not detected. Simultaneous presence of anti-VCA EBV IgM, early antigen IgG antibodies and nuclear antigen antibodies in 7 patients with acute hepatitis associated with anti-HAV IgM suggests reactivation of EBV or reactivation of clones secreting antibodies anti-EBV in HAV infections. Furthermore, these results show that anti-VCA IgM only cannot be considered to be a specific marker of early EBV infection in patients with acute hepatitis.