EFFECT OF INTERFERON ON GB VIRUS-C AND HEPATITIS-C VIRUS IN HEPATITISPATIENTS WITH THE COINFECTION

Of 74 patients who were infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and rece ived interferon, 12 (16%) were positive for RNA of GB virus C (GBV-C). RNA of GBV-C was determined in sera from the co-infected patients ret rospectively, and the effect of interferon on GBV-C was compared with that on HCV in them. Titers of both GBV-C and HCV RNAs decreased durin g interferon in all of them. Two patients lost both GBV-C and HCV RNAs and remained clear until 6 months after treatment with interferon, wh ile 2 lost RNA for GBV-C only and 2 for HCV RNA alone. Low pre-treatme nt RNA titers of GBV-C and HCV correlated with the efficacy of interfe ron in clearing. Alanine aminotransferase returned to normal only in t he patients who lost HCV RNA, regardless of the persistence or loss of GBV-C RNA. These results indicate that the response to interferon of GBV-C is comparable to but independent of that of HCV and that the per sistence of GBV-C would not prevent the normalization of aminotransfer ases in response to interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis C. ( C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.