title: GB virus C infection in patients with primary antibody deficiency.
abstract: Sera from 77 patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) were tested for GB virus C (GBV-C) RNA, because they are prone to unexplained chronic hepatitis, and from 28 patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) who have a similar primary antibody deficiency but are not prone to hepatitis. Eight CVID and 8 XLA patients were positive; 6 positive CVID and 3 XLA patients had abnormal liver enzymes, explained in 3 by either hepatitis B or C virus infection. Most patients tested had antibodies to the E2 antigen of GBV-C, apparently passively acquired from their immunoglobulin therapy. The high prevalence of GBV-C viremia in CVID and XLA patients is probably explained by their long-term exposure to blood products. Our data indicate that GBV-C does not cause chronic hepatitis in immunocompromised XLA patients and is not the cause of chronic non-B or -C hepatitis in the majority of CVID patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical Research Council Immunodeficiency Clinic, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dusheiko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000361:Agammaglobulinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017074:Common Variable Immunodeficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C107619:glycoprotein E2, GB virus C