[Viral co-infections in hepatitis C: HBV, HBV-C/HGV and TTV studies]. / Víruskoinfekciók krónikus hepatitis C-vírus-fertózésben: HBV-, GBV-C/HGV- és TTV-vizsgálatok.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of co-infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and novel hepatitis viruses GBV-C (Hepatitis G virus, HGV) and TT virus (TTV) in chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection has been studied. In patients with chronic hepatitis C and in asymptomatic healthy HCV carriers, the influence of these agents on the course of HCV infection was assessed. METHODS: a total of 110 HCV-positive individuals, among them 77 patients with chronic hepatitis C--50 of them treated with interferon (IFN)--and 33 HCV carriers with normal alanine aminotransferase have been investigated. HBV-DNA, HGV RNA and TTV DNA were detected by PCR, to determine HBsAg and anti-HBc ELISA technic has been used. RESULTS: In the healthy population, the prevalence of anti-HCV was 0.3%, HBsAg 0.09%, anti-HBc 2.5%, HGV RNA 8.0% and TTV DNA 18.5%, respectively. In chronic hepatitis C HBsAg (accompanied with HBV-DNA) occurred in 1.29%, anti-HBc 25.97%, HGV RNA in 9.09% and TTV DNA in 40.25% of cases. In IFN-treated patients with sustained remission, the frequency of TTV was 20% vs. 45.7% found in non-responders. Among asymptomatic HCV-carriers, the prevalence of anti-HBc was 27.27%, HGV RNA 9.09% and TTV DNA 75.7% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Neither previous HBV infection, nor HGV RNA and TTV DNA had apparent effect on the course of chronic HCV infection. TTV was detected with the lowest frequency in persons with sustained remission due to IFN, suggesting antiviral effect of IFN on TTV.

Co-infections with hepatitis G and TT virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C in Hungary.

The significance of co-infections with novel hepatitis viruses Hepatitis G (GBV-C, HGV) and TT virus (TTV) in chronic hepatitis C is not clear. We determined the prevalence of HGV RNA and TTV DNA in chronic hepatitis C patients and in asymptomatic hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers, and assessed the influence of these agents on the course of HCV infection. Seventy-seven patients with chronic hepatitis C--50 of them treated with interferon (IFN)--and 33 HCV carriers with normal alanine aminotransferase have been investigated. Previous HBV infection was detected by testing serum HBsAg and aHBc. HGV RNA and TTV DNA were detected by PCR. In the healthy population, the prevalence of anti-HCV was 0.3%, HGV RNA 8.0% and TTV DNA 18.5%. In chronic hepatitis C HGV RNA occurred in 9.09% and TTV DNA in 40.25% of cases. In IFN-treated patients with sustained remission, the frequency of TTV was 20% vs. 45.7% found in non-responders. Among asymptomatic HCV-carriers, the prevalence of HGV RNA was 9.09% and TTV DNA 75.7%. Neither HGV RNA nor TTV DNA had apparent effect on the HCV infection. TTV was detected with the lowest frequency in persons with sustained remission due to IFN, suggesting antiviral effect of IFN on TTV.

Decrease in CD3-negative-CD8dim(+) and Vdelta2/Vgamma9 TcR+ peripheral blood lymphocyte counts, low perforin expression and the impairment of natural killer cell activity is associated with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: As chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with impaired natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, we examined the phenotypes and perforin expression of peripheral blood lymphocytes, as well as the effect of interferon-alpha2b (IFN-alpha2b) therapy. METHODS: Thirty-three patients had chronic hepatitis C, and of them 12 had been on IFN-alpha2b treatment. Eleven individuals had been treated earlier with IFN-alpha2b and completely cured, and eight were HCV carriers with persistently normal serum alanine aminotransferase. Three-colour flow cytometry was used to measure the percentage of CD3(+/-)CD8+, CD3+CD4+, gammadeltaTcR+, Vdelta2 TcR+, Vgamma9 TcR+, Vdelta1 TcR+, CD3-CD16+, CD3-CD56+, CD19+ and perforin-positive cells. NK cell activity was assessed by single cell cytotoxic and flow cytometric assay. RESULTS: Patients with chronic hepatitis C showed an impaired NK cytotoxicity, decreased percentage of CD3-negative-CD8dim-positive (NK subtype) and Vgamma9/Vdelta2 TcR+ as well as perforin-positive T lymphocytes, compared to controls and to those who were cured from HCV infection. IFN-alpha2b increased NK cell cytotoxicity and the percentage of perforin-positive lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in chronic HCV infection a decreased percentage of CD3(-)CD8+, Vgamma9/Vdelta2 TcR+ and perforin-positive T cells and simultaneous decreased peripheral NK activity may contribute to the impaired cellular immune response and the chronicity of the disease.

Displasias cérvico-uterinas: apreciaçäo colpocitológica e colposcópica / Cervix dysplasias: colpocytologic and colposcopic approach

A análise de 28.155 mulheres submetidas à prevençäo do carcinoma da cérvice uterina revelou 277 (0,98%) casos de displasia. Destas, 105 (38%) eram de grau leve, 97 de grau (35%) moderado e 75 (27%) de grau acentuado, sendo o diagnóstico estabelecido através de histopatologia. O estudo destes 277 casos permitiu verificar que 70% das lesöes ocorreram na faixa etária de 21 a 40 anos, sendo 30,0% de grau leve, 24,9% moderado e 15,2% acentuado. Entre 41 e 60 anos, a incidência de graus leve, moderado e acentuado foi de 7,9%, 10,1% e 11,9%, respectivamente. A classe citológica III foi a predominante, com 61,4% dos casos, enquanto as imagens colposcópicas mais freqüentes foram o epitélio branco (33,9%), mosaico (20,2%) e pontilhado (19,5%). É discutida a utilidade dos métodos propedêuticos utilizados (colpocitologia, colposcopia e biopsia dirigida) na detecçäo das displasias cérvico-uterinas e sua possível progressäo para carcinoma