| Abstract: |
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is RNA virus responsible for the majority of post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis. One important clinical feature of HCV infection is the frequency of chronicity. More than half of the patients with acute infection will develop The present study aimed to determine the different HCV subtypes using immunological method (serotyping), ELISA assay. Moreover, the effects of HCV infection and ammonia gas on the humoral and the cellular immunity, also on the liver and liver function werThe present study was divided into two main parts. The first part was concerned with the effects of exposure to ammonia gas on the immune system and liver status while the second part has been conducted to study, the effects of HCV infection only on the iThe first part included random selected 63 workers exposed to ammonia gas. IFN-, IL-12 and TNF- were measured as an indicators for the cellular immunity, the percent of HCV infection was measured in this group. Then, the anti- HCV antibody titer was meaIn the first part, it has been found that, the level of IFN- was extremely significantly decreased (P<0.001) in workers exposed to ammonia gas compared with non-exposed control group. In addition, the level of IL-12 was a highly significantly decreased iThe percent of HCV +ve antibodies (Abs) in those workers exposed to ammonia was 76.2% while in non-exposed, it was 42.22%. Statistically, this difference between the two ratios is highly significant (P<0.01). The more interesting result is that, the levelAccording to the results of HCV Abs and exposure to ammonia gas, workers have been divided into two groups, HCV +ve Abs and exposed to ammonia gas and HCV -ve Abs and exposed to ammonia gas. It has been found that, the level of IFN- was extremely decreasPIIINP, AFP and liver enzymes were determined as markers for the liver status. It has been found that, PIIINP level was elevated in HCV +ve Abs and exposed to ammonia compared with the control group (P<0.001). On the other hand, no significant elevation wIn the second part, the role of HCV in liver dysfunction is confirmed by another group, HCV +ve Abs and non-exposed to ammonia gas. In this group, the level of IFN- was decreased significantly (P<0.05 ) in patients non-exposed and HCV +ve Abs. In additioThe finding that HCV is the main factor that affect the liver is confirmed by the significant elevation in PIIINP, AFP levels and liver function tests in HCV +ve Abs (exposed and non-exposed to ammonia gas) compared with the healthy control group. MoreoveCONCLUSION :1. The level of IFN- was decreased in workers exposed to ammonia gas and this effect depends on the dose of ammonia gas.2. The level of IL-12 was decreased in workers exposed to ammonia gas and this effect does not depend on the dose of ammonia gas.3. TNF- was elevated in workers exposed to ammonia gas.4. The incidence of HCV antibody positivity in workers exposed to ammonia gas was 76.2% while among non-exposed group it was 42.2% (P<0.01).5. Ammonia gas can reduce the level of HCV antibody titer and thus may affect the humoral immunity.6. HCV subtype 4 is the highly spread subtype in the tested samples.7. Exposure to ammonia gas does not affect the levels of PIII NP, AFP and liver function tests (ALT, AST, bilirubin and albumin).8. Ammonia gas decreases the activity of SOD enzyme and this affects the balance of oxidant and antioxidant mechanisms in workers exposed to ammonia gas.9. HCV infection decreases the level of IFN- but increase the level of IL-12 and TNF-.10. HCV infection elevates the levels of AFP, PIIINP and liver enzymes (ALT and AST).
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