[The response of the hepatitis C and hepatitis G viruses to treatment with recombinant interferon alfa-2b].
OBJECTIVE
The efficacy of recombinant alfa-2b interferon therapy in C-virus (HCV) and G-virus (HGV) in children with chronic hepatitis C was evaluated.


METHODS
Fifteen patients, between 6 and 16 years of age and positive for HCV of which four were also infected with HGV, were treated with interferon (3 M three times a week for 6 months). The responders were treated for 12 months. HCV RNA, antibodies to HCV, HVC viral genome (expressed as 1000 copy equivalents of HCV genome = 1 keq), HGV RNA (RT/PCR, 5'NCR-NS5), and E2-HGV antibodies were determined before treatment and at 3 and 6 months in all patients and at 12-24 months in the responders.


RESULTS
Four HCV patients (27%) with low viral load (mean 36 keg/ml) showed good results after interferon treatment and two of them (13%) with genotypes 1b and 3 according to Simmond's classification showed a maintained response. The four HGV children also showed the same good results and the RNA was negative without sero-conversion to anti-E2 after 12 months of interferon treatment. In the post-interferon treatment period, the HGV RNA appeared again in the serum in 3 of the 4 children. In the child with a maintained response, serum conversion to anti-E2 was not detected.


CONCLUSIONS
1) The current results, with only 13% of the patients reaching a sustained response, question the systematic treatment of all children affected with hepatitis C virus. Since the cost-benefit ratio is not yielding the expected results, such therapy may be reserved for patients with genotype other than 1b and a low level of viral genome. 2) HGV is sensitive to treatment with interferon, although the infection frequently appears again once the treatment is over.
Infante Pina
D
D
Servicio de Hepatología, Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebrón, Barcelona.
Pich Rosal
M
M
Sauleda Oliveras
S
S
Tormo Carnice
R
R
Esteban Mur
J I
JI
Esteban Mur
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000276:immunology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors