Hepatitis G virus co-infection may affect the elimination of hepatitis C virus RNA from the peripheral blood of hemodialysis patients

Acta Virol. 2001;45(4):261-3.

Abstract

Hemodialysis patients are at risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible influence of HGV co-infection on HCV RNA elimination from the peripheral blood of hemodialysis patients. The study involved 144 persons, all with HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. Among 144 patients 24 (16.7%) were positive for HGV RNA. After 2.5 years of observation 80 patients (55.6%) were still HCV RNA-positive. In the latter group 18 patients were co-infected with HGV and 62 were HGV RNA-negative. During 2.5 years of the follow-up study 64 patients eliminated HCV RNA from the serum. In this group only 6 patients were HGV co-infected. None of the HGV-positive patients eliminated HGV RNA from the serum. The higher incidence of HGV co-infection in the group of patients who remained HCV RNA-positive (18/80, 22.5%), in comparison to the group of HCV antibodies-positive patients who lost HCV in the blood (6/64, 9.4%, P < 0.0001) suggests, that the co-infection with HGV may delay the spontaneous elimination of HCV RNA from the blood.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • GB virus C / genetics
  • GB virus C / isolation & purification
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / isolation & purification*
  • Hepatitis C / blood
  • Hepatitis C / virology*
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies / blood
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Renal Dialysis*

Substances

  • Hepatitis C Antibodies
  • RNA, Viral