Intrafamilial clustering of genotypes of hepatitis C virus RNA.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA in the blood was measured by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 37 subjects from eight families in which 2 or more persons tested seropositive for antibodies against C100-3 or CP9. HCV-RNA was positive in 17 of 37 subjects. Two or more HCV-RNA-positive subjects were observed in six of the families. Intrafamilial HCV infection was studied by determining the HCV-RNA type (I, II, III or IV) by PCR using type-specific primers. In two families, all of the subjects showed type III infection, and in three other families, all of the subjects showed type II infection, with different types of HCV infections being observed in only one family. The HCV type was uniform in all but one. These findings suggest a possibility of intrafamilial infection between husbands and wives and between members of the same household.</p

Immunohistchemical Study of Fas in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

The expression of Fas on the epithelial cells of bile ducts was examined in liver specimens from 10 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and 14 patients with chronic hepatitis by both light and electron microscopy using the indirect peroxidase-labeled antibody method. In all patients with PBC, Fas was observed on the surface of epithelial cells of interlobular bile ducts. By electron microscopy, electron-dense reaction products of Fas were detected on the basolateral plasma membrane of the bile duct epithelial cells, as well as on some membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum. Fas was expressed more strongly on the surface of the epitherial cells of interlobular bile ducts in PBC than of those in chronic hepatitis. These findings suggest that increased expression of Fas on such bila ducts may play some role in the pathogenesis of PBC