Wejstål R, Norkrans G, Widell A. Chronic non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis: is hepatitis G/GBV-C involved?
Scand J Gastroenterol 1997;
32:1046-51. [PMID:
9361179 DOI:
10.3109/00365529709011223]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis G virus/GBV-C is a recently discovered virus, and its relevance in chronic hepatitis is still debated.
METHODS
We have previously described 127 long-term-studied and well-characterized patients with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH). Ninety-one (71.7%) were positive for hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti-HCV) in a first-generation anti-HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We now reanalyzed the same group of patients and added a third-generation anti-HCV ELISA and recombinant immunoblot assay and, in negative patients, also polymerase chain reactions for hepatitis C virus RNA, hepatitis GBV-C RNA, and hepatitis B virus DNA. Additional tests for autoimmune hepatitis types 2 and 3 were also included.
RESULTS
Anti-HCV were detected in 114 of the 123 evaluable patients (92.7%). Of the remaining nine anti-HCV-negative patients one had misdiagnosed primary biliary cirrhosis, and two had autoimmune hepatitis type 3. None of the anti-HCV-negative patients were hepatitis GBV-C RNA-, HCV RNA-, or HBV DNA-positive. Thus, 114 of 120 NANBH patients (95.0%) had chronic hepatitis C. None of the remaining six patients had received blood transfusions or was a drug addict, and two of them were successfully treated with steroids.
CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis G/GBV-C as a single cause of chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis is uncommon, and in all patients with parenteral risk factors hepatitis C was detected.
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