title: Absence of hepatitis B and C viruses in pediatric idiopathic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
abstract: The blood-borne hepatitis viruses, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), have similar epidemiological features. The association of chronic HBV infection and glomerulonephritis is well established, particularly in children. Recent reports have shown an association between HCV infection and glomerulonephritis in adults. In order to assess the role of these hepatotropic viruses in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) we screened 34 children with idiopathic MPGN for the presence of HBV and HCV infection using highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction techniques for the detection of HBV DNA and HCV RNA. Also, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to detect the presence of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to HCV. No evidence of HBV or HCV infection was demonstrated in any of the patients. We conclude that HBV and HCV are not significant causes of idiopathic MPGN in children in the United States.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nowicki
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Kuramoto
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Zeldis
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Baroudy
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Balistreri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015432:Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / Q000821:virology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral