LACK OF EVIDENCE FOR HEPATITIS-G VIRUS-REPLICATION IN THE LIVERS OF PATIENTS COINFECTED WITH HEPATITIS-C AND HEPATITIS-G VIRUSES

The pathogenic implications of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection are s till unclear. We searched for the presence of HGV RNA and HCV RNA sequ ences in liver and serum samples from 10 patients with chronic liver d isease, 9 of whom were coinfected with HCV. All livers were negative f or the presence of the HGV RNA minus strand and only six were positive for the presence of the positive strand, albeit at low levels. In str iking contrast, the HCV RNA positive strand was detectable in the live r samples from all nine HCV-positive patients in titers ranging from 1 0(2) to 10(8) genomic eq/mu g of RNA, and the negative HCV RNA strand was present in all but two of these patients. However, the positive-st rand RNA titers in serum for the two viruses had similar ranges. These findings imply that the liver is not the primary replication site for HGV, at least in the population of HCV/HGV-coinfected patients. Absen ce of replication in liver tissue may explain the reported lack of inf luence of HGV coinfection on the course of chronic hepatitis C.