Interferon treatment of two patients with quadruple infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis G virus (HGV), and TT virus (TTV)

We administered interferon (IFN) to two patients who had quadruple infectio n with hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatit is G virus (HGV), and TT virus (TTV), a recently isolated novel DNA virus. Nine mega-units of natural alpha-IFN were administered daily during the fir st two weeks and thrice weekly during the following 22 weeks (total dose, 7 20 mega-units). In both cases, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels decreased during IFN administration but increased thereafter. The concentra tions of HCV, HIV, HGV, and TTV declined with the administration of IFN. Ho wever, the concentrations of these 4 viruses increased after the cessation of IFN with the except of TTV in patient 2 which disappeared during treatme nt and did not subsequently reappear. IFN reduced the concentrations of 4 v iruses, in an apparently independent manner.