The Role of Antibody to Soluble Liver Antigen in Diagnosis of Chronic Hepatitis

This study aimed to estimate the value of detection ofantibody to soluble liver antigen ( Anti SLA ) as a marker for diagnosis inpatients with chronic hepatitis including (autoimmune hepatitis ,chronichepatitis C ,and gaint cell hepatitis ) .Chronic hepatitis is defined as chronic inflammation in the livercontinuously for at least six months. It refers to autoimmune hepatitis, viraland drug-induced. That involves a process of progressive destruction andregeneration of the liver parenchyma leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis.(Vergani et al., 2004)Soluble Liver Antigen auto antibodies have been shown to be anoutstanding marker for Autoimmune Hepatitis as these are the only autoantibodies which are 100% specific. Testing for SLA is extremelyimportant in those patients who are seronegative for other auto antibodies,as it may help to identify additional patients with AIH who were thought tobe suffering from chronic hepatitis and/or cirrhosis of unknown origin