GBV-C/HGV infection in children with chronic hepatitis C.
The role of GB virus-C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV), a recently identified member of the Flaviviridae family, in children with liver disease is not well understood. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of GBV-C/HGV and to clarify its pathogenic role in young patients with chronic hepatitis C. Sixty-four Japanese children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with a mean age of 9.8 years, were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty-one (32.8%) of the 64 patients were positive for serum GBV-C/HGV RNA. Only 1 (1.6%) of the 64 patients was positive for antibody against the envelope protein E2 of GBV-C/HGV (anti-E2) and GBV-C/HGV. None of them was positive for anti-E2 alone. There was no significant difference in clinical, virological, or histological characteristics between GBV-C/HGV-positive and GBV-C/HGV-negative patients, except for underlying malignant disease. There was no evidence that GBV-C/HGV might affect the response of HCV to interferon therapy in young patients with chronic hepatitis C. The prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection in young patients with chronic hepatitis C is similar to that in adult patients with chronic hepatitis C, but E2-seroconversion is observed infrequently. Underlying malignant disease is a risk factor for GBV-C/HGV viremia. GBV-C/HGV does not seem to affect the clinical course of young patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Komatsu
H
H
Department of Pediatrics, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
Fujisawa
T
T
Inui
A
A
Sogo
T
T
Morinishi
Y
Y
Miyagawa
Y
Y
Inui
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral