Clinical presentation of GB-C virus infection in drug abusers with chronic hepatitis C.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

Recently, the hepatitis GB-C virus (GBV-C) has been identified as another virus potentially causing chronic hepatitis. Although high rates of coinfection are emerging in drug addicts with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, no detailed data on clinical presentation are available. Therefore, co-infection was sought in hepatitis C virus patients to determine the impact of GB-C virus on clinical presentation.

METHODS:

GBV-C was determined by nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in serum of 70 HIV negative intravenous drug abusers with chronic hepatitis C. Biochemical, histological and virological parameters were compared between patients with or without GBV-C coinfection.

RESULTS:

Hepatitis C virus and GBV-C coinfection was found in 18 of 70 (25.7%) patients. Cases with coinfection were younger and had shorter duration of disease (31.4+/-6.2 vs. 35.3+/-7.3 (p=0.09) and 9.9+/-6.8 vs. 12.9+/-7.7 (p=0.17) years) than those without coinfection. Neither hepatitis C virus genotype distribution and HCV RNA levels nor serum liver function tests, titers of immunoglobulins or autoantibodies differed between the two groups. Histologically, chronic active hepatitis (16.7 vs. 46.4%, p=0.07), fibrosis (8.3% vs. 21.4%, p=0.3), and cirrhosis (0% vs. 8.2%, p=0.31) were less prevalent in coinfected patients. After interferon treatment, 5/6 coinfected and 11/19 patients with hepatitis C virus infection alone had cleared HCV RNA and 4/6 lost GBV-C RNA from serum. The two patients with GBV-C/HCV infection who persistently cleared hepatitis C virus but not GBV-C from serum had normal transaminases during follow-up despite persistence of GBV-C.

CONCLUSIONS:

Coinfection of chronic hepatitis C patients with GBV-C does not lead to a significant change in clinical presentation, severity of liver disease, hepatitis C viremia, or response to interferon treatment.

• Authors: T Goeser, S Seipp, R Wahl, H M Müller, W Stremmel, L Theilmann
• Journal: Journal of hepatology (J Hepatol) Vol. 26 Issue 3 Pg. 498-502 (Mar 1997) ISSN: 0168-8278 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 9075655 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Antinuclear
• Antiviral Agents
• DNA Primers
• Hepatitis C Antibodies
• Interferon-alpha
• RNA, Viral
• Alanine Transaminase

Topics

• Adult
• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Antibodies, Antinuclear (analysis)
• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Chronic Disease
• DNA Primers (chemistry)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Flaviviridae (genetics, immunology)
• Follow-Up Studies
• Genotype
• Hepacivirus (genetics, immunology)
• Hepatitis C (complications, pathology, therapy)
• Hepatitis C Antibodies (analysis)
• Hepatitis, Viral, Human (complications, pathology, therapy)
• Humans
• Interferon-alpha (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• RNA, Viral (analysis)
• Retrospective Studies
• Substance Abuse, Intravenous (blood, complications, virology)