Hepatitis G virus infection in chronic liver disease

Background¿The hepatitis G virus (HGV), a recently identified member of the Flaviviridae family, can cause chronic infection in man but the role of this agent in chronic liver disease is poorly understood. Aims¿To evaluate the prevalence and meaning of HGV infection in a large series of patients with chronic liver disease. Subjects¿Two hundred volunteer blood donors, 179 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 111 with chronic hepatitis B, 104 with alcoholic liver disease, 136 with hepatocellular carcinoma, and 24 with cryptogenic chronic liver disease were studied. Methods¿HGV RNA was investigated in serum samples by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction amplification of the 5¿ non-coding region of HCV and hybridisation to a specific probe. The main features of HGV RNA seropositive and seronegative patients were compared. Results¿The prevalence of HGV infection was 3% in blood donors, 7% in chronic hepatitis C, 8% in chronic hepatitis B, 2% in alcoholic liver disease, 4% in hepatocellular carcinoma, and 8% in cryptogenic chronic liver disease. HGV infected patients tended to be younger than non-infected patients but no differences concerning sex, possible source of infection, clinical manifestations, biochemical and virological parameters, or severity of liver lesions were found. Conclusions¿The prevalence of HGV infection in chronic liver disease seems to be relatively low in our area. Infection with HGV does not seem to play a significant pathogenic role in patients with chronic liver disease related to chronic HBV or HCV infection or to increased alcohol consumption, or in those with cryptogenic chronic liver disease

Hepatitis G virus infection in fulminant hepatic failure

Background¿RNA sequences of the recently identified hepatitis GB virus C (HGBV-C), also named hepatitis G virus (HGV), have been detected in patients with idiopathic fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) but the role of this agent in the disease remains controversial. Aims¿To investigate the presence and implications of HGV infection in a large series of Spanish patients with FHF. Patients¿Sixty eight patients with FHF, including 19 with idiopathic disease, were studied. In 28 cases, studies were performed before and after liver transplantation. For comparison 200 volunteer blood donors and 22 patients transplanted for chronic liver disease were also studied. Methods¿HGV RNA was measured in serum by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of the 5' non-coding region. Results¿Evidence of HGV infection was found in 3% (6/200) of blood donors and in 19% (13/68) of patients with FHF. HGV infection was more frequent in patients with hepatitis B (24%, 6/25) or hepatitis D (42%, 5/12), than in patients with idiopathic disease (11%, 2/19). Half of the patients with HGV infection used illicit intravenous drugs. Specific clinical features associated with HGV infection were not identified. A very high rate of infection with HGV was observed in patients who underwent liver transplantation, either for FHF (60%, 15/24) or chronic liver disease (45%, 9/20). Conclusions¿In our geographical area, HGV infection is relatively frequent in FHF, but it does not seem to play a major role in idiopathic cases

Hepatitis G virus infection in fulminant hepatic failure

Background¿RNA sequences of the recently identified hepatitis GB virus C (HGBV-C), also named hepatitis G virus (HGV), have been detected in patients with idiopathic fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) but the role of this agent in the disease remains controversial. Aims¿To investigate the presence and implications of HGV infection in a large series of Spanish patients with FHF. Patients¿Sixty eight patients with FHF, including 19 with idiopathic disease, were studied. In 28 cases, studies were performed before and after liver transplantation. For comparison 200 volunteer blood donors and 22 patients transplanted for chronic liver disease were also studied. Methods¿HGV RNA was measured in serum by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of the 5' non-coding region. Results¿Evidence of HGV infection was found in 3% (6/200) of blood donors and in 19% (13/68) of patients with FHF. HGV infection was more frequent in patients with hepatitis B (24%, 6/25) or hepatitis D (42%, 5/12), than in patients with idiopathic disease (11%, 2/19). Half of the patients with HGV infection used illicit intravenous drugs. Specific clinical features associated with HGV infection were not identified. A very high rate of infection with HGV was observed in patients who underwent liver transplantation, either for FHF (60%, 15/24) or chronic liver disease (45%, 9/20). Conclusions¿In our geographical area, HGV infection is relatively frequent in FHF, but it does not seem to play a major role in idiopathic cases

Hepatitis G virus infection in fulminant hepatic failure

Background¿RNA sequences of the recently identified hepatitis GB virus C (HGBV-C), also named hepatitis G virus (HGV), have been detected in patients with idiopathic fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) but the role of this agent in the disease remains controversial. Aims¿To investigate the presence and implications of HGV infection in a large series of Spanish patients with FHF. Patients¿Sixty eight patients with FHF, including 19 with idiopathic disease, were studied. In 28 cases, studies were performed before and after liver transplantation. For comparison 200 volunteer blood donors and 22 patients transplanted for chronic liver disease were also studied. Methods¿HGV RNA was measured in serum by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of the 5' non-coding region. Results¿Evidence of HGV infection was found in 3% (6/200) of blood donors and in 19% (13/68) of patients with FHF. HGV infection was more frequent in patients with hepatitis B (24%, 6/25) or hepatitis D (42%, 5/12), than in patients with idiopathic disease (11%, 2/19). Half of the patients with HGV infection used illicit intravenous drugs. Specific clinical features associated with HGV infection were not identified. A very high rate of infection with HGV was observed in patients who underwent liver transplantation, either for FHF (60%, 15/24) or chronic liver disease (45%, 9/20). Conclusions¿In our geographical area, HGV infection is relatively frequent in FHF, but it does not seem to play a major role in idiopathic cases

Hepatitis G virus infection in chronic liver disease

Background¿The hepatitis G virus (HGV), a recently identified member of the Flaviviridae family, can cause chronic infection in man but the role of this agent in chronic liver disease is poorly understood. Aims¿To evaluate the prevalence and meaning of HGV infection in a large series of patients with chronic liver disease. Subjects¿Two hundred volunteer blood donors, 179 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 111 with chronic hepatitis B, 104 with alcoholic liver disease, 136 with hepatocellular carcinoma, and 24 with cryptogenic chronic liver disease were studied. Methods¿HGV RNA was investigated in serum samples by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction amplification of the 5¿ non-coding region of HCV and hybridisation to a specific probe. The main features of HGV RNA seropositive and seronegative patients were compared. Results¿The prevalence of HGV infection was 3% in blood donors, 7% in chronic hepatitis C, 8% in chronic hepatitis B, 2% in alcoholic liver disease, 4% in hepatocellular carcinoma, and 8% in cryptogenic chronic liver disease. HGV infected patients tended to be younger than non-infected patients but no differences concerning sex, possible source of infection, clinical manifestations, biochemical and virological parameters, or severity of liver lesions were found. Conclusions¿The prevalence of HGV infection in chronic liver disease seems to be relatively low in our area. Infection with HGV does not seem to play a significant pathogenic role in patients with chronic liver disease related to chronic HBV or HCV infection or to increased alcohol consumption, or in those with cryptogenic chronic liver disease

Hepatitis G virus infection in chronic liver disease

Background¿The hepatitis G virus (HGV), a recently identified member of the Flaviviridae family, can cause chronic infection in man but the role of this agent in chronic liver disease is poorly understood. Aims¿To evaluate the prevalence and meaning of HGV infection in a large series of patients with chronic liver disease. Subjects¿Two hundred volunteer blood donors, 179 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 111 with chronic hepatitis B, 104 with alcoholic liver disease, 136 with hepatocellular carcinoma, and 24 with cryptogenic chronic liver disease were studied. Methods¿HGV RNA was investigated in serum samples by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction amplification of the 5¿ non-coding region of HCV and hybridisation to a specific probe. The main features of HGV RNA seropositive and seronegative patients were compared. Results¿The prevalence of HGV infection was 3% in blood donors, 7% in chronic hepatitis C, 8% in chronic hepatitis B, 2% in alcoholic liver disease, 4% in hepatocellular carcinoma, and 8% in cryptogenic chronic liver disease. HGV infected patients tended to be younger than non-infected patients but no differences concerning sex, possible source of infection, clinical manifestations, biochemical and virological parameters, or severity of liver lesions were found. Conclusions¿The prevalence of HGV infection in chronic liver disease seems to be relatively low in our area. Infection with HGV does not seem to play a significant pathogenic role in patients with chronic liver disease related to chronic HBV or HCV infection or to increased alcohol consumption, or in those with cryptogenic chronic liver disease