title: Evidence for viral persistence in patients who test positive for anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies and have normal alanine aminotransferase levels.
abstract: It is unclear whether patients who test positive for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and have normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels remain infected with the virus. Eleven patients who tested positive for anti-HCV antibodies, had persistently normal ALT levels, and tested negative for HCV RNA by commercial test were studied. Serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected 2-3 times at 3-6-month intervals, and PBMCs were cultured with phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen. HCV RNA was detected in serum samples from 6 (55%) and in PBMCs from 11 (100%) patients. Our results suggest that, in asymptomatic patients who test positive for anti-HCV antibodies, small quantities of HCV RNA commonly persist, even in patients who test negative for HCV RNA in serum by commercial tests.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infectious Diseases, Medical Academy, Warsaw 02-106, Poland. marek.radkowski@amwaw.edu.pl
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radkowski
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horban
authors.forename: Juan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gallegos-Orozco
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pawelczyk
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jablonska
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adair
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laskus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase