THE EFFECT OF TREATMENT WITH ALPHA-INTERFERON ON HEPATITIS-G GBV-C VIREMIA

Background: Hepatitis G virus (HGV) or GBV-C is frequently detected in patients co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study investi gated host and virologic factors influencing the response to HGV/GBV-C to alpha-interferon treatment. Methods: HGV/GBV-C was detected and qu antified by nested polymerase chain reaction. The influence of variabl es such as liver biopsy appearance, liver function abnormalities, and response of HCV to interferon treatment was monitored. Results: Fourte en of the 25 HGV/GBV-C-infected patients treated with interferon (3-6 MIU three times a week for 6 months) became non-viraemic during treatm ent, although all relapsed after treatment withdrawal at 6 months, wit h no net change in virus load between 0 and 12, months. Conclusions: P redictive factors for clearance of HGV/GBV-C viraemia by interferon we re pre-treatment severity of liver disease (median Knodell score of 4, compared with 7 for non-responders; P = 0.030) and alanine aminotrans ferase levels (median, 114, 182 for non-responders; P = 0.039). Cleara nce was associated with the treatment response of HCV. Nine of 13 who cleared HGV/GBV-C also cleared HCV, compared with 3 of 11 HGV/GBV-C no n-responders; P = 0.05). The shared susceptibility of HGV/GBV-C and HC V to interferon treatment suggests a link between the mechanism of cle arance of the two viruses.