The cellular and humoral natural immune response induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV) is commonly unable to eradicate the virus. HCV is a highly mutable, hepatotropic RNA virus that causes acute and chronic hepatitis, an infection that involves the production of various cytokines. The aim of the study is to analyse the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and the chemokine CXCL8 (IL-8) in liver tissue and their expression and secretion in PBMC of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), in response to pentoxyfilline (PTX). We studied six CHC patients, naive to treatment. Patients received PTX 400 mg twice a day/8 weeks. Pentoxyfilline resulted in decreased expression of mRNA of liver IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma: 144.2 versus 83.5 molecules of IL-1 beta (P < 0.05), TNF-alpha 194.3 versus 17.6 molecules (P = 0.03) and IFN-gamma 26.1 versus 0.5 molecules (P = 0.04). Following PTX, PBMC exhibited a decrease in IFN-gamma mRNA 12.2 versus 1.5 molecules (P = 0.028) and CXCL8 4.2 versus 2.5 molecules (P = 0.027). In PBMC, only the secretion of TNF-alpha was decreased 1109 versus 933.5 pg/ml, P = 0.046. Production of cytokines both locally (within the liver) and systemically (PBMC) may serve as biomarkers of the infection with hepatitis C. PTX inhibits the expression of several pro-inflammatory cytokines in the liver. These results indicate that it is worth exploring PTX in hepatitis in future clinical trials in nonresponders to antiviral treatment.

The association between intestinal nodular lymphoid hyperplasia (INLH) and acquired dysgammaglobulinemia was first described by Hermans et al in 1966. One of the largest series reported in the literature is mexican. We described the clinical out come of a young man with diarrhea, steatorrhea and history of upper respiratory tract infections in whom INLH was established by clinical, radiological, endoscopic and histopathologic studies. Jejunal fluid showed infection by E. coli, C. freundii and Candida albicans as well as cysts of Giardia lamblia. Serum concentration of Ig A and Ig M were decreased. As well as B lymphocytes count in peripheral blood. The patient received treatment with itraconazole, ciprofloxacin and furazolidone with an excellent response. At present he is asymptomatic with cyclic doses of antibiotics and parenteral administration of gammaglobulins.

To determine the prevalence of serological markers for hepatitis B infection among health care workers (HCW) in Mexico we surveyed 1072 volunteers from 26 hospitals in 12 states, from which only 1017 fullfilled the inclusion criteria: 82 patients (8.1%) were excluded because of lipemic and/or hemolysed serum, leaving 935 persons in the study. The study population consisted of physicians, nurses, laboratory chemists, health laboratory technicians and odontologists. All of them had been working in their respective fields and in contact with biological materials for at least 12 months. None of them had been vaccinated for hepatitis B. We determined the presence of HBsAg and anti-HBs by the ELISA method. The participants' mean age was 31.4 years (range: 18-72) and their mean working time was 7.8 years. 615 were female and 320 male. The HBsAg was positive in 11 (1.2%) and the antiHBs in 91 cases (9.7%). These results suggest that HCW in Mexico have a greater relative risk of becoming infected with the HB virus than the general population. Relative risks were particularly higher for the health laboratory technicians and the physicians. These results confirm that biosecurity measures must be reinforced and that the application of HB virus vaccine could be recommended for health care workers.

To determine the prevalence of serological markers for hepatitis B infection among health care workers (HCW) in Mexico we surveyed 1072 volunteers from 26 hospitals in 12 states, from which only 1017 fulfilled the inclusion criteria: 82 patients (8.1%) were excluded because of lipemic and/or hemolyzed serum, leaving 935 persons in the study. The study population consisted of physicians, nurses, laboratory chemists, health laboratory technicians and odontologists. All of them had been working in their respective fields and in contact with biological materials for at least 12 months. None of them had been vaccinated for hepatitis B. We determined the presence of HBsAg and anti-HBs by the ELISA method. The participants' mean age was 31.4 years (range: 18-72) and their mean working time was 7.8 years. 615 were female and 320 male. The HBsAg was positive in 11 (1.2%) and the anti-HBs in 91 cases (9.7%). These results suggest that HCW in Mexico have a greater relative risk of becoming infected with the HB virus than the general population. Relative risks were particularly higher for the health laboratory technicians and the physicians. These results confirm that biohazard measures must be reinforced and that the application of HB virus vaccine could be recommended for health care workers.