[A study on the pathogenicity of acute hepatitis G infection].
OBJECTIVE
To study the infection due to hepatitis G virus (HGV) in liver tissues of patients with acute hepatitis and to investigate its pathogenicity.


METHODS
HGV NS5 antigen was detected by using immunohistochemical method in the liver biopsy tissues of patients with acute hepatitis but serologically negative to hepatitis virus antigens from A to E. The clinical and pathological data were also analysed.


RESULTS
37 samples were tested, HGV NS5 antigen was detected in 14 (37.8%). 4 of the 14 were positive for HGV NS5 antigen alone (acute hepatitis G group) and 10 other cases were also positive for HBsAg, hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 antigen or EB virus antigen (superinfection group). 7 cases were HBsAg positive alone (acute hepatitis B group) and the remaining 16 cases were negative for all the antigens mentioned above (non-A - G hepatitis group). There was no difference among the 4 groups in the detecting rate of Fas antigen, histological activity index (HAI), serum alanine transferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TBil).


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that HGV appears to play some role in the pathogenesis of acute viral hepatitis and the degree of liver injury in acute hepatitis G may be as severe as that of hepatitis caused by other types of viruses.
Lang
Z
Z
Beijing Youan Hospital, Beijing 100054.
Xu
D
D
Wang
S
S
Liao
H
H
Chen
X
X
Zhou
Y
Y
Chen
W
W
Song
C
C
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D029407:GB virus C; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000032:analysis
C096041:NS5 protein, flavivirus; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D019014:fas Receptor