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J Hepatol 1997 Mar;26(3):498-502
Clinical presentation of GB-C virus infection in
drug abusers with chronic Hepatitis C.
Goeser T, Seipp S, Wahl R, Muller HM, Stremmel W, Theilmann L
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
BACKGROUND/AIMS:
Recently, the Hepatitis GB-C virus (GBV-C) has been identified
as another virus potentially causing chronic hepatitis. Although
high rates of coinfection are emerging in drug addicts with chronic
Hepatitis C virus infection, no detailed data on clinical presentation
are available. Therefore, co-infection was sought in Hepatitis C
virus patients to determine the impact of GB-C virus on clinical
presentation.
METHODS:
GBV-C was determined by nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase
chain reaction in serum of 70 HIV negative intravenous drug abusers
with chronic Hepatitis C. Biochemical, histological and virological
parameters were compared between patients with or without GBV-C
coinfection.
RESULTS:
Hepatitis C virus and GBV-C coinfection was found in 18 of 70 (25.7%)
patients. Cases with coinfection were younger and had shorter duration
of disease (31.4+/-6.2 vs. 35.3+/-7.3 (p=0.09) and 9.9+/-6.8 vs.
12.9+/-7.7 (p=0.17) years) than those without coinfection. Neither
Hepatitis C virus genotype distribution and HCV RNA levels nor serum
liver function tests, titers of immunoglobulins or autoantibodies
differed between the two groups. Histologically, chronic active
hepatitis (16.7 vs. 46.4%, p=0.07), fibrosis (8.3% vs. 21.4%, p=0.3),
and cirrhosis (0% vs. 8.2%, p=0.31) were less prevalent in coinfected
patients. After interferon treatment, 5/6 coinfected and 11/19 patients
with Hepatitis C virus infection alone had cleared HCV RNA and 4/6
lost GBV-C RNA from serum. The two patients with GBV-C/HCV infection
who persistently cleared Hepatitis C virus but not GBV-C from serum
had normal transaminases during follow-up despite persistence of
GBV-C.
CONCLUSIONS:
Coinfection of chronic Hepatitis C patients with GBV-C does not
lead to a significant change in clinical presentation, severity
of liver disease, Hepatitis C viremia, or response to interferon
treatment.
PMID: 9075655, MUID: 97230077
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