Hepatitis viruses and chronic liver disease

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.