Detection of active hepatitis C virus and hepatitis G virus/GB virus C replication in bone marrow in human subjects.
We have analyzed the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis G virus (HGV) sequences in bone marrow and serum samples from 48 patients of a hematologic outpatient clinic. HCV RNA was detected in 18 (38%) and 15 (31%) and HGV RNA was detected in 6 (13%) and 9 (19%) of serum and bone marrow samples, respectively. In 3 patients, HGV RNA was detectable in bone marrow but not in the serum; 2 of these patients were negative for the presence of specific antibodies. Using a highly strand-specific Tth-based reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the presence of HCV RNA and HGV RNA negative strand was demonstrated in 4 and 5 bone marrow samples, respectively. Our study shows that HCV and HGV can replicate in bone marrow; in the case of HGV, analysis of serum may underestimate the true prevalence of infection. (Blood. 2000;95:3986-3989)
Radkowski
M
M
Institute of Infectious Diseases, Warsaw Medical Academy, Poland.
Kubicka
J
J
Kisiel
E
E
Cianciara
J
J
Nowicki
M
M
Rakela
J
J
Laskus
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014779:Virus Replication
D012367:RNA, Viral