Prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Egypt is 22% as reported by World Health Organization (WHO) 2012. Interferon (IFN)-based treatments are currently the main therapeutic option. However, depending upon variations in their human leukocyte antigen (HLA), some patients do not respond well to IFN therapy. The current study evaluated some HLA class II alleles among 200 HCV positive individuals from Alexandria, Egypt, who were receiving standard IFN therapy. In this study, 30 patients (33.3 %) showed a sustained virological response (SVR) to IFN therapy, whereas 30 (33.3 %) did not and 30 (33.3%) cleared the virus spontaneously. 30 unrelated healthy volunteers served as controls. DNA was extracted by spin column method from lysed blood of all enrollees for HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 allele typing by sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (SSOP), whilst plasma was used for HCV quantitation by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and genotyping by line probe assay INNO LiPA (Innogenetics). HLA-DRB1*03 individually (p=0.025) or in combination HLA-DRB1*04 (p=0.035) revealed to be significant protective alleles against HCV infection. In patients on IFN therapy, HLA-DRB1*11 was significantly associated with viral clearance. In contrast, HLA-DRB1*07 (p=0.005) was associated with viral persistence. We can conclude that certain HLA class II alleles could predict response to IFN therapy as early as possible before starting treatment of chronic HCV cases and can be used as successful guide to clinicians in deciding the therapeutic regimen for Egyptian patients infected with HCV genotype 4.

There is an interest in the use of IL-12 as a possible anti-cancer drug to induce immune responses and anti-IL-13 formulations to treat the undesirable effects of IL-13. Thus, the present study aimed at analyzing IL-12 and IL-13 profiles, viral hepatitis serology and blood cultures in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Forty individuals (20 without septicemia -Group A, and 20 with septicemia -Group B) and 20 healthy controls were evaluated. Hepatitis B virus antigens (HBsAg) and hepatitis C virus antibodies (HCV Ab) were quantified using commercial ELISA kits. IL-12 and IL-13 levels were estimated in culture supernatant of mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells by ELISA. Significantly low IL-12 values were observed among AML patients compared to controls whereas the opposite was observed regarding IL-13. IL-12 levels were found to be elevated in the follow-up cases. M4 and M5 subtypes of AML presented higher IL-12 levels than M1 and M2 subtypes. The isolated organisms from AML with septicemia were Staphylococcus aureus (35%), Esherichia coli (25%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (25%), and Candida (15%). Fungemia cases showed higher IL-12 values than bacteremia cases. In conclusion, IL-12 and IL-13 should be further tested in large-scale studies to provide future immunotherapy against AML. Abstract published online: April 26, 2011.

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