liver profile in patients with hepatitis C virus and/or fascioliasis

ABSTRACT

In this study, twenty HCV/PCR-RNA positive patients with neither infection nor infestation were 15 males and five females with ages ranging between 17-78 years old. Liver function tests S. albumin was decreased in 15 patients [75%], total protein decreased in 3 patients [15%], total bilirubin increased in 7 patients [35%], AST/ALT increased in 3 patients [15%]. Globulin value increased in 15 patients [75%]. A/G ratio decreased in 12 [60%]. Ten normal individuals [five males and five females], gave normal findings. However, a 19 years-old female had non significant elevation [0.26mg/dl] in direct bilirubin. Liver function tests one patient had increased AST/ALT, Globulin value decreased [-0.2] in another one [10%] and A/G ratio increased [+0.3 to+0.6] in three [30%] individuals. Twenty randomly selected patients [15 males and five females] HCV/3 rd generation ELISA showed ALT elevation in 17 [85%], AST in all [100%], S. albumin decreased in 9 [45%], and increased in 1 [5%]. Total protein decreased in 3 [15%], total bilirubin increased in 7 [35%] and direct bilirubin in 4 [20%], AST/ALT value increased in 3 patients [15%], Globulin value increased in 15 patients [75%]. A/G ratio decreased in 12 [60%]. Three patients had schistosomiasis, one 30 years old male had increased AST/ALT, normal globulin, increased A/G and positive HBs-Ag. The second one was a 33 years old male had normal AST/ALT, normal globulin, increased A/G and positive HBs-Ag. The third patient was a 19 years old female with normal AST/ALT and normal globulin, increased A/G and positive HBs-Ag. Two patients had fascioliasis, one was a 20 years old male with increased AST/ALT, globulin normal, A/G normal and negative HBs-Ag. The second one was a 26 years old female with normal AST/ALT and normal globulin, increased A/G and positive HBs-Ag. The other four positive HBs-Ag patients were parasite-free. Also, the other HCV/ELISA positive were negative for HBs-Ag. HCV/ELISA may have cross-reacted with HBs-Ag and/or with elevated ALT and gave false positive HCV. The 3rd generation ELISA in detection of HCV was not as sensitive as PCR/RNA. Out of 41 fascioliasis patients [26 males and 15 females], 14 were positive HCV/ELISA [34.1%], but only six were positive HCV/PCR [14.6%]. ALT increased in 18 fascioliasis patients [43.9%], AST in 23 patients [56.1%] but, albumin decreased in 7 patients [17.1%], total protein decreased in 5 [12.2%], but total bilirubin increased in 14 [34.1%] and direct bilirubin increased in 2 [4.9%]. Liver function tests of 14 fascioliasis and ELISA positive HCV showed AST/ALT increased in 6 [42.9%], globulin increased in 3 [21.4%] and decreased in 6 [42.8%]. A/G decreased in 4 [28.6%] and increased in 8 [57.2%]. Liver function tests of pure 27 fascioliasis patients showed that AST/ALT increased in 8 [29.6%], globulin increased in one patient [3.7%] but decreased in 10 [37.0%] and A/G ratio increased in 13 [48.1%]