Related Experiment Videos
[Infection with HGV in children suffering from chronic hepatitis]
1Katedra i Klinika Chorób Zakaźnych Akademii Medycznej w Łodzi.
Insights
Hepatitis G virus (HGV) antibodies were found in 11% of children with chronic hepatitis in Poland. HGV infection was linked to chronic hepatitis C, not chronic hepatitis B, and did not affect disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Hepatitis G virus (HGV), a Flavivirus, was discovered in 1995, with its pathogenicity remaining unclear.
- Initial hypotheses suggested HGV caused chronic hepatitis, but evidence has been inconclusive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of anti-HGV antibodies in children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and co-infection (CHB + C).
- To compare HGV prevalence in these pediatric groups with healthy children in Lodz, Poland.
- To evaluate the impact of HGV infection on biochemical and histological markers of chronic liver disease.
Main Methods:
- Investigated 153 children with chronic hepatitis and 22 healthy controls using ELISA for anti-HGV antibodies.
- Assessed viral markers including HCV-RNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV-DNA.
- Performed percutaneous liver biopsies to evaluate histological parameters.
Main Results:
- Anti-HGV antibodies were detected in 11% (17/153) of children with chronic hepatitis.
- Prevalence was 3% in CHB, 25% in CHC, and 18% in CHB + C groups.
- No anti-HGV antibodies were found in healthy children. HGV infection correlated with CHC, hospitalization, and blood transfusion history, but not with liver disease severity.
Conclusions:
- HGV infection is more prevalent in children with CHC than CHB in the studied Polish population.
- HGV infection does not appear to influence the biochemical or histological severity of chronic liver disease in children.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate HGV's role in pediatric liver disease.
Abstract:
HGV was discovered in 1995. It belongs to Flaviviruses and it is found worldwide. At first it was though to cause chronic hepatitis, in fact its pathogenicity is up till now unclear. The aim of this work was to estimate the prevalence of anti-HGV antibodies among children suffering from chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and chronic hepatitis B + C (CHB + C) and to compare it with the prevalence in healthy children in the district of Lodz, Poland, and to assess the influence of HGV infection on biochemical and histological parameters of chronic liver disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS. 153 children with chronic hepatitis B and C and 22 healthy children have been investigated. The presence of anti-HGV was assessed by ELISA. In children with chronic hepatitis prior the entrance to the study HCV-RNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, and if HBeAg-negative also HBV-DNA were assessed. Thick needle percutaneous liver biopsy was performed in each case. RESULTS. Of 153 children with chronic hepatitis, 17 (11%) were anti-HGV positive. Anti-HGV positivity was found in 3 (3%) of 94 children with CHB, 12 (25%) of 48 children with CHC, and 2 (18%) of 11 children with CHB + C. Anti-HGV were not found in any of 22 healthy children. Previous HGV infection was associated with CHC (p = 0.0001), history of hospitalization (p = 0.002) or blood transfusion (p = 0.0006) as compared with children with CHB. Serum albumin or gamma globulin concentration as well as ALT level or degree of inflammation and fibrosis in liver biopsy specimen were not correlated with previous HGV infection.