title: Hepatitis G virus co-infection does not alter the course of recurrent hepatitis C virus infection in liver transplantation recipients.
abstract: Although hepatitis G virus infection (HGV) is usually asymptomatic, it has been associated with mild hepatic injury. Whether hepatitis G co-infection alters the natural history of other viral hepatitis infections remains to be determined. In the present study, we investigated whether hepatitis G impacts on the time to recurrent hepatitis or on the time to progression to fibrosis in hepatitis C-infected patients who undergo liver transplantation. Forty-five liver transplantation recipients with persistent hepatitis C viremia by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were evaluated. Stored sera obtained before and after liver transplantation was tested for HGV RNA by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR using primers to the 5' region of the HGV genome. A median of eight serial liver biopsy specimens were reviewed per patient. The prevalence of HGV co-infection was 21% before transplantation and 22% following transplantation. During a median follow-up of 29 months, 78% (35/45) of patients with hepatitis C viremia developed histological features of recurrent hepatitis. Fifty-one percent (23/45) progressed to fibrous portal expansion and 16% (7/45) developed bridging fibrosis. Comparisons of patients with and without hepatitis G co-infection following transplantation showed no significant difference in time to recurrent hepatitis, fibrous portal expansion, bridging fibrosis, or of allograft or patient survival. In conclusion, hepatitis G co-infection does not seem to impact on the time to recurrent hepatitis C or progression of hepatitis C-related histological injury after liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle 98195, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cotler
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gretch
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bronner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tateyama
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Emond
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: dela Rosa
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Carithers
mesh_terms: D018067:Flaviviridae; D005838:Genotype; D006084:Graft Rejection; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012008:Recurrence; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous