Mixed infections of hepatitis C virus as a factor in acute exacerbations of chronic type C hepatitis.
Twenty patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and acute exacerbations (group A) were studied by polymerase chain reaction with genotype-specific primers to explore the role of mixed infections of HCV in acute exacerbations of chronic type C hepatitis. Another 26 patients who did not have acute exacerbation were matched controls (group B). Eleven (55%) of the group A patients had heterologous HCV, and their mean age was significantly younger than that of the 9 without heterologous infection (55 vs. 67 years, P < .05). In contrast, only 2 group B patients (7.7%) had heterologous HCV infection. In 10 of 13 patients with heterologous HCV infection, type III/2a virus emerged on type II/1b HCV, and viral interference was observed in half of them. The results support that mixed infections of HCV may be important in acute exacerbations of chronic type C hepatitis.
Kao
J H
JH
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Republic of China.
Chen
P J
PJ
Lai
M Y
MY
Yang
P M
PM
Sheu
J C
JC
Wang
T H
TH
Chen
D S
DS
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction