Prevalence of active hepatitis C virus infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with various autoimmune disorders and can mimic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinically and serologically. There are few reports of prevalence of HCV infection in patients with SLE. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV viremia by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients with SLE.


METHODS
We tested sera from 40 consecutive patients with SLE collected from 1993 to 2000. All of the patients had HCV viral load measured by PCR. The results were compared with the prevalence of HCV viremia in a control group of blood donors in our geographic area as well as in United States general population.


RESULTS
HCV was detected in 4 of 40 patients (10%). The prevalence of HCV in our area blood donors is 130 cases per 100,000 persons (0.13%; P<0.0001). The prevalence of HCV infection in the United States general population, screened by PCR, is 1330 cases per 100,000 people (1.33%; P=0.002). The prevalence of HCV infection was significantly higher in our SLE patients than in our area blood donors. The frequency of HCV infection was also higher than that of the United States general population.


CONCLUSIONS
Our observations support those of other investigators who have reported an increased prevalence of HCV infection in SLE patients. Further detailed investigation of this association may help in understanding the pathogenesis of SLE. HCV infection should be tested when the diagnosis of SLE is considered.
Ahmed
M Mubashir
MM
Center of Excellence for Arthritis and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, the Section of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana 71130-3932, USA. mahmed3@lsuhsc.edu
Berney
Seth Mark
SM
Wolf
Robert E
RE
Hearth-Holmes
Michelene
M
Hayat
Samina
S
Mubashir
Eisha
E
Vanderheyde
Henri
H
Chang
Wun-Ling
WL
King
John W
JW
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
D001323:Autoantibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral