Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AH) is a rare chronic liver disease of unknown etiology,

Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare chronic liver disease of known etiology, characterized by hypergammaglobulinemia, characteristic auto antibodies, and a favorable response to immunosuppressive treatment.Strong circumstantial evidences denoted that there is quite long list of environmental factors such as (food additives and drugs), viruses and toxins which play an important role in precipitating this disease.<br />Patients and Methods: the study was performed on 13 Iraqi patients with acute viral hepatitis, attending the Teaching Hospital for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease and Al-Khadymia Teaching Hospital in the period between November 2003 and July 2005. ANA, SMA and anti-LKM 1 were detected by immunoflurescen

Background:

Background: . Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an unresolving inflammation of the liver of unknown cause associated with interface hepatitis on histological examination,hypergammaglobulinemia and presence of circulating autoantibodies. Antibody-mediated tissue injury might be responsible for tissue injury in AIH therefore; a number of studies have been focused on the complement system in these patients .
The aim of the study is to estimate the level of complement (C3 and C4) in different types of Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).
Methods: The study M’as performed on 73 Iraqi patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), attending the teaching hospital for gastroenterology and liver disease in a period betM'een November 2003 and July 2004. : A

Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an unresolving inflammation of the liver of unknown cause associated with interface hepatitis on histological examination,hypergammaglobulinemia and presence of circulating autoantibodies. Antibody-mediated tissue injury might be responsible for tissue injury in AIH therefore; a number of studies have been focused on the immunoglobulines in these patients .The aim of the study is to estimate the level of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA and IgM ) in different types of Autoimmune hepatitis ( AIH).
Patients and Methods: The study was performed on 73 Iraqi patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), attending the teaching hospital for gastroenterology and liver disease in a p

Background: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is the most polymorphic genetic system in man. The genes of this region influence susceptibility to certain diseases.
Patients and methods: Immunofixation test is the method used to asses C4 polymorphism of 100 blood samples of 60 AIH patients and 40 healthy normal controls.
Results: An increased frequency of C4A*Q0 was observed for patients group versus control group with P-value (0.003).
Conclusions: This finding demonstrated that C4A*Q0 might play a role in AIH susceptibility.

Background: Autoantibodies against liver membrane are the specific autoantibodies found in AIH. Cytochrome P450 1A2 has been identified as the
target autoantigen for these autoantibodies
The aim of the study : is to evaluate the prevalence and clinical relevance of LMA in AIH
Methods: The study was performed on 73 Iraqi patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) of unknown cause , attending the teaching hospital for gastroenterology and
liver disease in a period between November 2003 and July 2004. Anti-liver membrane antibodies were studied by IFA technique.
Results: LMA was detected in the sera of 28(57.14)and 3(37.5%) patients with type 1 and type 3 AIH respectively, but never in the sera of h

Background:

The asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R)

Background: genetic factors were considered to play a possible role the development of autoimmune hepatitis.
Patients and methods: polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCRSSP) was the method used to asses HLA-typing of 100 blood samples of 60 AIH patients and 40 healthy normal controls.
Results: comparison between AIH patients and healthy controls showed several antigens deviations in their frequencies. HLA-A*113 (A1/-/Null) observed to play a possible risk factor in this disease while significant loss of HLA-A*2 allele were clearly observed which prompt us to believe that it could act as a protective factor, on the other hand, increased frequency of HLA-B*8 & B*14 were statist

Background: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is the most polymorphic genetic system in man. The genes of this region seem to influence susceptibility to certain diseases.
Patients and methods: Polymerase chain reaction-Sequence Specific Primers PCR-SSP is the method used to asses HLA-typing of 100 blood samples of 60 AIH patients and 40 healthy normal controls.
Results: An increased frequency of HLA-DR3, DR4 and DR7 was observed for patients group versus control group with P-value (0.0001, 0.05, and 0.001) respectively, while DR*0211 (DR2) may be formed the basis for protection against the disease. HLA-DQ on the other hand, yielded on association in Iraqi patients with AIH.
Conclusions: This finding de