Humoral immunoreactivity in chronic active hepatitis: relation to HLA antigens.

43 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) exhibited significantly higher levels of antibodies against measles and polio type 2 und 3 when compared to 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. No significant differences were found for antibodies against polio type 1, rubella, herpes simplex, mumps virus, and tetanus. There was no correlation between antibody levels and the presence of HLA-B8 and/or HLA-B12. The antibody response to vaccination with polio vaccine (killed) and tetanus toxoid was not higher in CAH patients carrying HLA-B8 and/or HLA-B12 than in patients without these antigens. The results indicate that CAH is associated with an increased immunoreactivity, which is, however, not linked to HLA-B8 and/or HLA-B12.