GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection: a favorable prognostic factor in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients?
To investigate a possible influence of GB virus C (GBV-C) in immunocompromised patients, the prevalences of GBV-C RNA and anti-E2 antibody in 197 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients and in 120 control blood donors were studied. GBV-C RNA was detected in 33 of 197 HIV-infected patients (16.8%) compared with 1 in 120 blood donors (0.8%) (P < .001). Previous exposure to GBV-C (anti-E2 antibody-positive) was shown in 56.8% of HIV patients and in 9% of blood donors. GBV-C viremia was not associated with hepatitis. Despite approximately equal duration of HIV infection in all subgroups, the CD4 cell counts were significantly higher in GBV-C-viremic patients (344 cells/microL) compared with exposed (259 cells/microL) and unexposed (170 cells/microL) patients (P = .017 and P < .001). Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significantly better cumulative survival in GBV-C RNA-positive HIV-infected patients, suggesting that GBV-C might be a favorable prognostic factor in HIV disease.
Heringlake
S
S
Department of Gastroenterology, Medizinische Hochschule, Hannover, Germany.
Ockenga
J
J
Tillmann
H L
HL
Trautwein
C
C
Meissner
D
D
Stoll
M
M
Hunt
J
J
Jou
C
C
Solomon
N
N
Schmidt
R E
RE
Manns
M P
MP
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D017741:Survivors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014766:Viremia
D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C107619:glycoprotein E2, GB virus C