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Hepatitis viruses and chronic liver disease
P Tangkijvanich1, A Theamboonlers, P Hirsch
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Insights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) are prevalent in Thai patients with chronic liver disease. Hepatitis G virus (HGV) and TT virus (TTV) showed lower infection rates, with cholangiocarcinoma patients largely free of viral markers.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Chronic liver diseases, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, pose significant health challenges.
- Viral hepatitis is a major global health concern, with several types identified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Hepatitis G virus (HGV), and TT virus (TTV) infections in Thai patients with chronic liver disease.
- To investigate the association between specific viral infections and different types of chronic liver disease in Thailand.
Main Methods:
- Serological testing for HBV and HCV antibodies.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for HBV and TTV DNA detection.
- Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) for HCV and HGV RNA detection.
- Analysis of 168 Thai patients (120 men, 48 women) with chronic liver disease.
Main Results:
- HBV infection was most prevalent (49%), followed by HCV (27%), HGV (13%), and TTV (11%) among patients with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
- A significantly higher prevalence of HBV and HCV was observed compared to HGV and TTV.
- Most patients with cholangiocarcinoma, linked to parasitic infestation, were negative for all tested viral markers.
Conclusions:
- Chronic HBV and HCV infections are the primary viral causes of chronic liver disease in Thailand.
- The clinical significance of HGV and TTV infections in the context of chronic liver disease requires further investigation.
- Viral markers are largely absent in Thai cholangiocarcinoma patients, suggesting other etiologies like parasitic infestation are dominant.
Abstract:
We have investigated several groups of Thai patients diagnosed with chronic liver disease including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as cholangiocarcinoma, for the prevalence of infection with either one of the hepatitis viruses B, C, G and the novel hepatitis virus TT (TTV). The 168 patients tested comprised 120 men and 48 women with their median age ranging from 42.3 to 62.3 years. Screening for antibodies to HBV and HCV was performed by a commercially available serological test kit, for the presence of HBV and TTV DNA by PCR, and of HCV and HGV RNA by RT-PCR, respectively. There was a clear two-fold higher prevalence of HBV (49%) over HCV (27%) infection and a four-fold higher frequency compared to HGV (13%) and TTV (11%) infection, respectively, in those individuals with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas all but one patient with cholangiocarcinoma the etiology of which has been ascribed to parasitic infestation, were free of all viral markers. In Thailand chronic HBV, and to a lesser extent, chronic HCV infection represent the two most common causes of hepatitis potentially proceeding to chronic liver disease, whereas the clinical significance pertinent to HGV and TTV remains to be elucidated.