GB virus C infection in patients with type II mixed cryoglobulinemia.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is present in most but not all patients with type II mixed cryoglobulinemia.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of GB virus C (GBV-C) in type II mixed cryoglobulinemia.


METHODS
Retrospective study of serum and cryoprecipitate samples.


METHODS
Tertiary care hospital in Bergamo, Italy.


METHODS
58 cryoglobulinemic patients, 35 of whom were treated with interferon-alpha.


METHODS
GB virus C RNA was determined by a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay done by using primers derived from the conserved GBV-C helicase region.


RESULTS
GB virus C RNA was detected in serum specimens from 23 of 58 cryoglobulinemic patients (40% [95% CI, 27% to 53%]) and 1 of 145 healthy blood donors (0.7%) (P < 0.001). Twenty of the 23 patients with GBV-C RNA were simultaneously infected with HCV. Unlike antibodies to HCV and HCV RNA, GBV-C RNA did not concentrate in cryoprecipitate in patients co-infected with GBV-C and HCV. Furthermore, the therapeutic effectiveness of interferon-alpha in patients with coinfection was related to the disappearance of HCV RNA but not GBV-C RNA from serum. None of 3 patients with GBV-C infection alone had detectable GBV-C RNA in cryoprecipitate.


CONCLUSIONS
Infection with GBV-C, usually associated with HCV, is common in patients with type II mixed cryoglobulinemia but is unlikely to have a primary role in this disease.
Misiani
R
R
Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo, Italy.
Mantero
G
G
Bellavita
P
P
Mori
L
L
Vicari
O
O
Marchesi
D
D
Primi
D
D
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral