title: GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection in chronic hepatitis C patients with and without interferon-alpha therapy.
abstract: GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) RNA, detected by polymerase chain reaction, and antibodies to the GBV-C/HGV envelope protein (anti-E2), detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were used to evaluate both the impact of GBV-C/HGV on the coexistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the course of GBV-C/HGV infection in chronic hepatitis C patients with and without interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) treatment. Of the 162 chronic hepatitis C patients treated with INF-alpha, 17.9% were GBV-C/HGV RNA-positive and 18.5% anti-E2-positive (total exposure, 35.2%). Neither present nor past GBV-C/HGV infection had impact on the clinical features, HCV virological characteristics and response to IFN-alpha treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients. Among patients with ongoing HCV/GBV-C/HGV coinfection, 20.7% (6/29) in IFN-alpha-treated patients lost GBV-C/HGV RNA concomitant with anti-E2 seropositivity, which was significantly higher than 4.8% (2/42) in patients without INF-alpha treatment (P<0.05). Based on multivariate analyses, the significant factors associated with clearance of GBV-C/HGV viremia combined with anti-E2 seropositivity were baseline anti-E2 seropositivity and IFN-alpha treatment. In summary, GBV-C/HGV did not alter the course of coexistent HCV. IFN-alpha treatment was effective in some patients against GBV-C/HGV and might facilitate anti-E2 seroconversion in chronic hepatitis C patients with GBV-C/HGV viremia.
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D029407:GB virus C / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral