HIGH PREVALENCE OF ANTI-HGV E2 ANTIBODIES IN HCV-POSITIVE PATIENTS WITH NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA/

We evaluated in a series of 33 HCV positive (both RT-PCR and HCV RIBA 2 assays) B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) patients the prevalence of active and inactive HGV infection by HGV RNA assays (RT-PCR) and a nti HGV antibodies directed against E2 structural protein (immunoenzim atic method), a reliable serologic marker of past Rev infection follow ed by viral clearance. We found only one patient with HGV positivity a t RT-PCR (3%). Twenty-six of 33 patients were positive for anti HGV/E2 antibodies (78.8%) suggesting past infection. If confirmed, our preli minary data seem to suggest a higher incidence of HGV past infection i n our group of HCV postive patients with B cell NHL.