title: Hepatitis C virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
abstract: RNA extracted from plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis C were used as the template for reverse transcription followed by double in vitro enzymatic amplification with nested primers. Hepatitis C virus was detected in 14 of 15 (93.3%) plasma specimens and in 8 of 15 (53.3%) peripheral blood mononuclear cell specimens obtained from patients with chronic hepatitis C and abnormal liver functions. The results suggest that hepatitis C virus could be found frequently in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis C. Whether the presence of hepatitis C virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells plays any role in the pathogenesis of diseases associated with hepatitis C virus infection remains to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liaw
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Pao
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral