Prevalence of GB virus-C hepatitis G virus infection in patients with cryptogenic chronic liver disease and in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis or Wilson's disease

Objective: To assess the role of hepatitis G virus (HGV) in cryptogenic chr onic liver disease (CLD), we investigated the prevalence of HGV RNA among p atients with cryptogenic CLD, patients with nonviral CLD (primary biliary c irrhosis [PBC] and Wilson's disease [WD]) and subjects without clinically e vident liver disease (controls). Methods: Ninety patients with cryptogenic CLD (43 with chronic hepatitis, 20 with cirrhosis, and 27 with hepatocellul ar carcinoma [HCC]), 143 patients with PBC, 22 patients with WD, and 134 co ntrols were recruited. HGV RNA was detected by reverse transcription-polyme rase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and antibodies against HGV E2 protein (anti-E2 ) by an immunoassay test. Results: HGV RNA was detected in 7.8% of patients with cryptogenic CLD (chronic hepatitis, 9.3%; cirrhosis, 5.0%; HCC, 7.4%) , in 2.4% of patients with PBC or WD, and in 2.2% of controls. As a consequ ence, a positive association of HGV infection with cryptogenic CLD was foun d (odds ratio, 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-9.7; p = 0.05). No di fference was observed between HCV RNA-positive and -negative patients by ag e, sex, histology, or liver function tests. Anti-E2 prevalence did not diff er between patients with cryptogenic CLD (26.5%), patients with PBC (28.1%) , and controls (22.1%). Transfusion history was associated with HGV RNA but not with anti-E2 seropositivity. Conclusions: Although an association was found between cryptogenic CLD and HGV infection, the role of the virus seem s far from important, the proportion of cryptogenic CLD attributable to it being only 5.2%. (Am J Gastroenterol 1999;94:484-488, (C) 1999 by Am. Coll. of Gastroenterology).