High prevalence of infection with hepatitis G virus in patients with hepatic and extrahepatic malignancies.
J Hepatol
; 28(4): 550-5, 1998 Apr.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9566822
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS:
The pathogenic role of hepatitis G virus, the recently discovered blood-borne agent, is controversial. Our aim was to ascertain the prevalence of hepatitis G virus infection in hepatic and in extrahepatic malignancies.METHODS:
We studied 166 Italian patients (112 male, 54 female, mean age 61.8+/-9.3, mean+/-SD, range 34-85). One hundred and eighteen had cirrhosis, which was complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma in 66 cases. Forty-eight patients had extra-hepatic malignancies. Circulating HGV RNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of both the nonstructural-3 and 5'noncoding regions of the hepatitis G virus genome. Antibodies to the E2 protein of hepatitis G virus were detected by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS:
Ongoing HGV infection was detected in 30/66 (46%) patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, 12/52 (23%) patients with cirrhosis, and 14/48 (29%) patients with extrahepatic malignancies (p<0.05). Evidence of exposure to hepatitis G virus (detection of either HGV RNA or anti-E2 antibodies) was found in 46% of patients with cirrhosis, 66% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and 39% of patients with extrahepatic malignancies. Serum HGV RNA positivity was associated with a hematocrit value < or = 0.35 and with history of exposure to blood products (p<0.005).CONCLUSIONS:
Ongoing hepatitis G virus infection is detected at a very high rate in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, but is also fairly common in extrahepatic malignancies. Hepatitis G virus infection in these patients is likely to originate from exposure to blood products, and to persist because of deficient immune surveillance.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Flaviviridae
/
Carcinoma Hepatocelular
/
Hepatitis Viral Humana
/
Cirrosis Hepática
/
Neoplasias Hepáticas
Tipo de estudio:
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Hepatol
Asunto de la revista:
GASTROENTEROLOGIA
Año:
1998
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia