Clinical, virological, immunological, and pathological significance of GB virus C/hepatitis G infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C

GB virus-C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV), a single-strand RNA virus, has been identified as a transfusion transmissible virus and categorized as a m ember of the Flaviridiae family. GBV-C/HGV superinfection in patients with chronic hepatitis C is not seen uncommonly, most likely because of the simi lar transmission routes. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection in 100 Chinese patients with histologically proven chro nic hepatitis C, and to clarify the clinical, virological, immunological, a nd histopathological impact of GBV-C/HGV infection on chronic hepatitis C p atients. Serum GBV-C/HGV RNA was positive in 22 (22%) of the 100 chronic he patitis C patients. There were no significant differences in mean age, gend er, and serum liver biochemical tests between GBV-C/HGV infected and non-in fected chronic hepatitis C patients. The HCV genotype distribution and mean serum HCV RNA level were not significantly different between patients with and without GBV-C/HGV co-infection. The presence of serum autoantibodies ( anti-nuclear antibody and anti-smooth muscle antibody) and cryoglobulinemia showed no significant difference between the two groups. Liver histopathol ogical analysis revealed no significant difference in the grade of periport al, portal, and intralobular necro-inflammation, in the stage of fibrosis/c irrhosis, or in the presence of steatosis and lymphoid aggregation/follicle formation between patients with and without GBV-C/HGV infection. However, a higher degree of bile duct damage was noted in chronic hepatitis C patien ts co-infected with GBV-C/HGV infection than in those without infection (P = 0.036). In conclusion, GBV-C/ HGV infection had no apparent influence on the clinical, immunological, or virologic features of patients with chronic hepatitis C. However, the clinical significance of a higher degree of bile duct damage in patients with HCV and GBV-C/HGV co-infection deserves furth er investigation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserve d.