Influence of hepatitis G virus coinfection on the clinical course of chronic hepatitis C

Hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a parenterally transmitted virus, frequently ass ociated with hepatitis C virus infection. Hepatitis G virus RNA was detecte d by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in the serum of 40 pat ients with chronic hepatitis C. Nine (22.5%) patients had evidence of hepat itis C virus viraemia. No significant epidemiological or virological differ ences could be demonstrated between subjects infected with both hepatitis G virus and hepatitis C virus and subjects infected with hepatitis C virus a lone. Aminotransferase values were comparable between the two groups, where as higher levels of cholestatic enzymes (P < 0.01) were reported in the hep atitis G virus/hepatitis C virus-positive patients. A liver biopsy was perf ormed on all 40 patients no later than 6 months before recruitment. The mea n histological activity index did not differ between hepatitis G virus-posi tive and hepatitis G virus-negative patients, whereas specific histological features such as macrovesicular steatosis, portal granulomas, and bile duc t damage were more commonly observed among the coinfected patients. The res ults indicate that coinfection with hepatitis G virus probably does not hav e a significant effect on hepatitis C virus-induced hepatic damage.