Neopterin levels in nonreplicative HBV carriers

The aim of this study was to determine the existence of immune activation by measuring neopterin in HBV (Hepatitis B virus) carriers with viral load (HBV DNA) less than 5 pg/ml. Forty-three subjects and 56 healthy controls were included in the study. Neopterin levels of were compared. ALT and ALP levels in one patient and AST levels in two patients were found minimally higher than upper limit, and GGT levels were within the reference range in all patients. Neopterin levels in the patient group and in the controls were 159.97 +/- 13.39 and 84.10 +/- 11.45 nmol/l, respectively (P < 0.0001). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, the increased neopterin levels of HBV carriers might be the indicators of the effect of cellular immunity. This increase might also implicate a background inflammation based on mainly cellular immunity that exists within the liver. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.