title: Influence of hepatitis G virus infection on liver disease.
abstract: The influence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection on disease activity in hepatitis C related and unrelated liver disease was investigated in 254 individuals using an EIA polymerase chain reaction assay for HGV. One hundred patients had chronic hepatitis C, 26 primary biliary cirrhosis, and 30 alcoholic liver cirrhosis. In addition, 51 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive and 47 anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive blood donors were screened. Hepatitis G virus was detected in 18% of patients with chronic hepatitis C, 13% of patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, 11% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, 10% of anti-HCV-positive blood donors, and 2% of HBsAg-positive blood donors. Virus load and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels did not differ significantly in patients with HCV alone versus patients coinfected with HCV and HGV. However, mild liver fibrosis correlated with HGV coinfection. Hepatitis G virus did not influence ALT levels or liver damage in liver disease unrelated to viral infection.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Diamantis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kouroumalis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koulentaki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fasler-Kan
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bühler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gyr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battegay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D018067:Flaviviridae; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008875:Middle Aged; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase