Clinical, virological, immunological, and pathological significance of GB virus C/hepatitis G infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
GB virus-C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV), a single-strand RNA virus, has been identified as a transfusion transmissible virus and categorized as a member of the Flaviridiae family. GBV-C/HGV superinfection in patients with chronic hepatitis C is not seen uncommonly, most likely because of the similar transmission routes. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection in 100 Chinese patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C, and to clarify the clinical, virological, immunological, and histopathological impact of GBV-C/HGV infection on chronic hepatitis C patients. Serum GBV-C/HGV RNA was positive in 22 (22%) of the 100 chronic hepatitis C patients. There were no significant differences in mean age, gender, and serum liver biochemical tests between GBV-C/HGV infected and non-infected chronic hepatitis C patients. The HCV genotype distribution and mean serum HCV RNA level were not significantly different between patients with and without GBV-C/HGV co-infection. The presence of serum autoantibodies (anti-nuclear antibody and anti-smooth muscle antibody) and cryoglobulinemia showed no significant difference between the two groups. Liver histopathological analysis revealed no significant difference in the grade of periportal, portal, and intralobular necro-inflammation, in the stage of fibrosis/cirrhosis, or in the presence of steatosis and lymphoid aggregation/follicle formation between patients with and without GBV-C/HGV infection. However, a higher degree of bile duct damage was noted in chronic hepatitis C patients co-infected with GBV-C/HGV infection than in those without infection (P=0.036). In conclusion, GBV-C/HGV infection had no apparent influence on the clinical, immunological, or virologic features of patients with chronic hepatitis C. However, the clinical significance of a higher degree of bile duct damage in patients with HCV and GBV-C/HGV co-infection deserves further investigation.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital Taipei, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, 11217, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
C -W.
C
Chu
S -J.
S
Hwang
J -C.
J
Luo
Y -J.
Y
Wang
R -H.
R
Lu
C -R.
C
Lai
S -H.
S
Tsay
C -P.
C
Li
J -C.
J
Wu
F -Y.
F
Chang
S -D.
S
Lee