Characteristics of patients with hepatitis C virus with and without GB virus C/hepatitis G virus co-infection and efficacy of interferon alfa.
GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) infection seems to be common among patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We studied retrospectively the proportions of patients with GBV-C/HGV RNA and antibodies to the GBV-C/HGV second envelope protein (anti-E2) among 149 subjects with chronic hepatitis C who had received interferon alfa. The clinical characteristics of patients with GBV-C/HGV RNA or anti-E2 were examined, as was the efficacy of the treatment. Stored serum specimens were tested for GBV-C/HGV RNA by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and for anti-E2 by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Of the 149 patients before therapy, 8 (5%) had GBV-C/HGV RNA only, 72 (48%) had anti-E2 only, and 4 (3%) had both. The mean age of patients with GBV-C/HGV RNA (some with anti-E2) was significantly less than that of patients with anti-E2 only. Results of laboratory and histological evaluations were not different depending on the presence of GBV-C/HGV RNA or anti-E2. The GBV-C/HGV RNA titer decreased during therapy in all 12 patients with GBV-C/HGV RNA; only 4, with a low titer before therapy and with anti-E2 detected at some time, had sustained clearance of GBV-C/HGV. Our results suggested that half of the patients with chronic hepatitis C had been exposed to GBV-C/HGV, but in almost all, the virus had been cleared; also, even chronic GBV-C/HGV infection did not affect the severity of the disease arising from HCV. Interferon alfa treatment was sometimes effective against GBV-C/HGV, and anti-E2 may be associated with clearance of GBV-C/HGV.
Enomoto
M
M
Department of Public Health, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
Nishiguchi
S
S
Fukuda
K
K
Kuroki
T
T
Tanaka
M
M
Otani
S
S
Ogami
M
M
Monna
T
T
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral