[Coinfection with hepatitis G virus in chronic hepatitis C. Response to treatment with interferon alpha]

It is thought that the cytopathic effect of HGV is not important. Nevertheless, the cytopathic effect on liver is less known in the cases of co-infection with HCV. The aim was to study the prevalence of co-infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and to analyse the clinical-epidemiological and histological data and the interferon (IFN) response.

We included 180 patients with CHC and the HGV-RNA was determined.

The prevalence of co-infection was 12.2% (n = 22). No statistical differences were observed between the non co-infected and co-infected groups with regard to the age, sex, mechanism of transmission and alcohol abuse. Also, there were no differences in the hepatic biochemical, no organ-specific antibodies, histological lesions and Knodell index. The HCV biochemical response (BR) and virological response (VR) after 6 months post-IFN were the same in both groups (HGV negative: BR = 29%, VR = 12%; HGV positive: BR = 22%, VR = 18%). HGV was determined after 6 months posttreatment in the co-infected group (first cycle of IFN, n = 22; second cycle of IFN, n = 9): 12 (55%) were HGV-RNA negative and 5 (23%) HCV-RNA negative, (p = 0.021). When we compared the BR vs VR in this group, there were 12 HGV-RNA negative but only two had BR (NS). On the contrary, the BR was related to HCV-RNA negative (p = 0.023).

The prevalence of HGV co-infection is important in our area (12.8%). The HGV does not increase the pathogenicity of HCV and does not change the IFN response, although the HGV is more IFN sensible than HCV. The determination of HGV is not necessary in patients with HCV.