Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in serum of patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon-alpha.
We tested serial serum samples for hepatitis C virus RNA from patients undergoing treatment for chronic hepatitis C with interferon-alpha using an assay that combined reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction. The subjects studied were 20 patients with chronic hepatitis who had serum antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-C100-3). Before therapy, hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in 18 (90%) and 20 (100%) patients using primer sets derived from the NS3 region or the 5'-noncoding region of hepatitis C virus, respectively. Hepatitis C virus RNA became undetectable in all patients whose ALT level fell into the normal range during therapy. However, hepatitis C virus RNA reappeared in all patients whose ALT levels rose again after therapy, usually before the relapse. In patients whose ALT levels did not become normal, hepatitis C virus RNA did not disappear during therapy. Thus therapy with interferon-alpha appears to be beneficial in chronic hepatitis C because of its suppressive effects on hepatitis C virus replication. Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in serum is useful for evaluating the antiviral effect of interferon.
Hagiwara
H
H
First Department of Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Hayashi
N
N
Mita
E
E
Ueda
K
K
Takehara
T
T
Kasahara
A
A
Fusamoto
H
H
Kamada
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase