Liver histology in co-infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis G virus (HGV)

As little is known about liver histology in the co-infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis G virus (HGV), HGV RNA was investigated in 46 blood donors with hepatitis C, 22 of them with liver biopsy: co-infection HCV / HGV (n = 6) and HCV isolated infection (n = 16). Besides staging and grading of inflammation at portal, peri-portal and lobular areas (Brazilian Consensus), the fibrosis progression index was also calculated. All patients had no symptoms or signs of liver disease and prevalence of HGV / HCV co-infection was 15.2%. Most patients had mild liver disease and fibrosis progression index, calculated only in patients with known duration of infection, was 0.110 for co-infection and 0.130 for isolated HCV infection, characterizing these patients as "slow fibrosers". No statistical differences could be found between the groups, although a lesser degree of inflammation was always present in co-infection. In conclusion co-infection HCV / HGV does not induce a more aggressive liver disease, supporting the hypothesis that HGV is not pathogenic.     

High prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus RNA among Brazilian blood donors

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of the Hepatitis G Virus on a population of blood donors from S o Paulo, Brazil and to evaluate its association to sociodemographic variables. Two RT-PCR systems targeting the putative 5'NCR and NS3 regions were employed and the former has shown a higher sensitivity. The observed prevalence of HGV-RNA on 545 blood donors was 9.7% (CI 95% 7.4;12.5). Statistical analysis depicted an association with race/ethnicity, black and mulatto donors being more frequently infected; and also with years of education, less educated donors presenting higher prevalences. No association was observed with other sociodemographic parameters as age, gender, place of birth and of residence. DNA sequencing of nine randomly chosen isolates demonstrated the presence of genotypes 1, 2 and 3 among our population but clustering of these Brazilian isolates was not detected upon phylogenetic analysis.     

Detection of antibody to envelope (E2) antigen of hepatitis C virus

One hundred and four clinical specimens from provincial public health laboratories were tested for antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope protein (anti-E2). To evaluate the effect of hypervariability of E2 region on anti-E2 assay, 49 recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) 3.0 positive samples were genotyped. All 49 genotyped samples were positive for anti-E2. Eight of 12 (67%) indeterminate, HCV RNA positive samples were anti-E2 reactive. Nine of 30 (30%) indeterminate, HCV RNA negative samples were also positive for anti-E2. Anti-E2 was detected in two of 13 (15%) RIBA-negative and enzyme immunoassays-positive samples. Although small number of samples were tested, the results showed that it may be possible to resolve indeterminate samples with the anti-E2 assay.     

Analysis of hepatitis G virus infection markers in blood donors and patients with hepatitis

The incidence and clinical significance of hepatitis G virus (HGV) is still not fully known. The aim of our study was to assess the frequency of HGV RNA and antibody to HGV E2 protein (anti-E2) in Polish blood donors and patients with hepatitis, and to compare the sequence of HGV clones with those reported by others. Two-hundred and nineteen blood donors and 83 patients with hepatitis were studied. HGV was detected in 3.2% and anti-E2 in 24.2% of blood donors and in 26.5% and 8.4% of patients with hepatitis, respectively. HGV was detected as a co-infection with HCV in four of 18 patients with chronic hepatitis, in four of 16 patients with acute hepatitis and in one of six patients with fulminant liver failure (FLF), and as a co-infection with HBV in one of six patients with FLF and in three of 10 patients with chronic hepatitis. In non-A–C hepatitis, eight of 23 patients with acute hepatitis and one of four patients with FLF were positive for HGV but all 10 patients with chronic cryptogenic hepatitis were negative. In the follow-up studies of patients with HGV alone, a correlation with viraemia and clinical symptoms was observed in two patients, but in three others HGV RNA was detected in spite of clinical resolution. Two HGV clones were sequenced, and the sequence of the HGV helicase region of the HGV isolates from donor and patient were homologous to those described by others. Hence, the frequency of HGV RNA in blood donors is similar to that obtained in other countries but the anti-E2 (marker of a past infection) frequency is higher. The incidence of HGV RNA and anti-E2 in hepatitis patients suggests that HGV plays a role in liver pathology, but careful analysis of individual cases does not confirm this.     

Prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in an endemic area of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated the prevalence of hepatitis G virus infection among inhabitants of a hepatitis C virus endemic area. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred and eighty-eight inhabitants, who underwent medical examinations for health screening, were enrolled in this epidemiological study. HGV RNA and HCV RNA were detected by polymerase chain reaction. We also examined anti-HGV envelope protein (E2) antibodies in all serum samples. RESULTS: In these 288 inhabitants, we found anti-HCV antibodies (HCV-Ab) and HCV RNA in 28.5% and 17.4%, respectively. HGV RNA and anti-HGV E2 were detected in 9 (3.1%) and 16 (5.5%), respectively. One patient was positive for both HGV RNA and anti-HGV E2. The exposure rate, expressed as the percentage of people with HGV RNA and/or anti-HGV E2, was 8.3%, which was significantly lower than the incidence of positive HCV-Ab. Of the 24 patients with HGV RNA and/or anti-HGV E2, 15 (62.5%) were positive for HCV-Ab, of those HCV RNA was detected in 9 (37.5%). Further, we found a higher prevalence of HGV exposure in patients with HCV-Ab than in those without (8.3% vs. 4.4%). CONCLUSIONS: HGV infection was not identical to the epidemic hepatitis C virus infection among inhabitants of this town, suggesting that hepatitis C virus might be less infectious than hepatitis C virus.     

重组丙型肝炎病毒包膜蛋白2抗体检测的临床意义

我们利用在大肠杆菌中表达的重组E2蛋白进行抗体检测并分析其临床意义。1.材料与方法:（1）材料:收集100份献血员血清标本,及158例丙型肝炎（丙肝）患者、20例乙型肝炎（乙肝）患者、20例非甲非戊型肝炎患者的血清标本。检测抗-E2所用重组E2蛋白（aa385-aa730）在大肠杆菌中表达并经变性条件纯化（表达所用 HCV E2 cDNA来自Ib型 HCV克隆）。（2）方法:建立血清抗-E2 ELISA检测方法:E2包被抗原 0.15μg/孔包被96孔酶标反应板,酶标二抗抗体为山羊抗人IgG-HRP,TMB显色,在AT838酶     

Hepatitis C virus infection among Thai blood donors: antibody prevalence, risk factors and development of risk screening form

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important blood-borne infection in many countries, including Thailand. For epidemiological surveillance and controlling the infection, 2167 blood donors were screened for antibody to HCV by an enzyme immunoassay method and interviewed by using a structured questionnaire which consisted of personal health history and some risk behaviors. The prevalence and risk factors were assessed and the risk screening form was developed. The results revealed that the prevalence of anti-HCV was 2.90%. Male blood donors had relatively higher anti-HCV positive rate than females (3.21% vs 1.77%). The significant risk factors from univariate analysis were: (a) gender as male, OR = 1.94 (p = 0.042), (b) education to the primary level, OR = 4.15 (p < 0.001), (c) occupation as laborer or agriculture workers, OR = 2.87 (p < 0.001), police and military, OR = 1.82 (p = 0.046), (d) residence in a rural area, OR = 3.09 (p < 0.001), (e) a history of receiving blood or blood products, OR = 5.21 (p < 0.001), (f) a history of tattooing, OR = 1.70 (p = 0.043), (g) a history of IDU (Infecting Drug Use), OR = 41.43 (p < 0.001), (h) a history of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) in the last year, OR = 3.87 (p = 0.021), and (i) a history of sexual service, OR = 4.24 (p = 0.017). After multivariate analysis, four variables related to HCV infection among the studied samples included education to the primary level, OR = 3.34 (p = 0.0036), occupation as a laborer or agriculture worker, OR = 2.14 (p = 0.0092), a history of receiving blood or blood products, OR = 4.13 (p = 0.0029), and a history of IDU, OR = 3.82 (p < 0.0001).The risk screening form was developed using risk scores. The validity was calculated by the Receiving Operating Curve. The sensitivity of this form was approximately 55.3% and the specificity was 85.7% when a cut-off score at risk > or =7 was used. If the cut-off score was > or =6, the screening form showed 77.1% of specificity and 61.3% sensitivity. This risk screening form should be applied not only for blood donation but also for pre-marital health screening.     

Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus in Japanese schoolchildren: comparison with adult blood donors.

A total of 1,442 schoolchildren in the Matsumoto City area were investigated for the prevalence of hepatitis virus-related serum markers, including antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and an abnormal serum transaminase level. Despite the large number of children tested, none was positive for anti-HCV antibodies or had been diagnosed as having viral hepatitis. The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in children and adult blood donors in the same area increased significantly with age from 0% in the 6-15-year-old group to 1.14% in the 50-65-year-old group (P less than 0.001). Our results indicate that even if only the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results confirmed by the recombinant immunoblot assay are considered positive, the prevalence in children is significantly lower than that in blood donors (P less than 0.05). Six children were healthy carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV); all had been born to carrier mothers. These results indicate that apparently healthy schoolchildren in Japan have a low exposure to HCV infection.     

Prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus among blood donors in north-eastern Brazil

We tested 70 blood donors from Fortaleza (Ceara state, Brazil) for GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV/HGV) infection by polymerase chain reaction and detection of antienvelope antibodies. Twenty-seven (38.6%) showed signs of an active or resolved infection. Sixty-four percent of those with indications of other blood-borne viral infections showed signs of GBV-C/HGV infection also.     

Effects of HAART on hepatitis C, hepatitis G, and TT virus in multiply coinfected HIV-positive patients with haemophilia

In multiply coinfected human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, we investigated the effects of high-activity antiretroviral therapy (HAART) using HIV protease inhibitors on three other viruses: hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis G virus (HGV), and TT virus (TTV). Viral concentrations were measured serially by polymerase chain reaction methods in five patients with quadruple infection (HIV, HCV, HGV, and TTV) and in two patients with triple infection (HIV, HCV, and HGV) before and during HAART. In addition, CD4+ cell counts and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were measured serially. Generally we observed no difference in serum HCV RNA, HGV RNA, or TTV DNA concentrations between samples obtained before and after initiation of HAART, whereas HIV RNA concentration decreased and CD4 counts increased in most patients. However, two patients had markedly decreased concentrations of HCV RNA and HGV RNA, respectively, more than 12 months after beginning HAART. Normalization of serum ALT levels was observed in a patient with decline of HCV RNA concentrations. No interactions were observed among these four viruses. HAART had no apparent direct effects on HCV, HGV, or TTV. Further studies will be required to elucidate whether the restoration of immune status through suppression of HIV replication by HAART may affect HCV or HGV RNA concentrations.     

Interferon treatment of two patients with quadruple infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis G virus (HGV), and TT virus (TTV)

Abstract: We administered interferon (IFN) to two patients who had quadruple infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis G virus (HGV), and TT virus (TTV), a recently isolated novel DNA virus. Nine mega-units of natural alpha-IFN were administered daily during the first two weeks and thrice weekly during the following 22 weeks (total dose, 720 mega-units). In both cases, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels decreased during IFN administration but increased thereafter. The concentrations of HCV, HIV, HGV, and TTV declined with the administration of IFN. However, the concentrations of these 4 viruses increased after the cessation of IFN with the except of TTV in patient 2 which disappeared during treatment and did not subsequently reappear. IFN reduced the concentrations of 4 viruses, in an apparently independent manner.