Increased serum IgE in acute type A, B and delta hepatitis

Abstract

Serum IgE levels have been documented in patients of acute type B hepatitis. There are very few studies on serum IgE in acute type A hepatitis and, to our knowledge, there are no data on serum IgE in acute delta hepatitis patients. The purpose of this study was to measure total IgE levels in 38 patients with acute A, B and delta hepatitis and in 181 controls in order to determine the possible existence of changes in this parameter in the course of these infections. Our results showed a relevant increase in IgE levels in the three groups (hepatitis A, B and delta) with respect to the control group. Moreover, the hepatitis B group showed increased total serum IgE levels with respect to the hepatitis delta group.