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A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
Published on: June 26, 2014
Prevalence of anti-HCV in cryptogenic cirrhosis in a suburban Detroit community
R E Barnes1, R A Meyer, S C Gordon
1Department of Internal Medicine, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant cause of unexplained chronic liver disease, particularly cryptogenic cirrhosis. Foreign-born patients showed a higher prevalence of anti-HCV, suggesting unrecognized risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Unexplained chronic liver disease presents diagnostic challenges.
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a known cause of chronic liver disease.
- Cryptogenic cirrhosis is liver scarring of unknown etiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients with unexplained chronic liver disease.
- To assess the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in cryptogenic cirrhosis patients.
- To investigate potential risk factors for HCV infection in this population.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples from patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases were tested for anti-HCV antibodies.
- Enzyme-linked and recombinant immunoblot assays were utilized.
- Statistical analysis compared seropositivity rates between groups and identified risk factors.
Main Results:
- 50% of patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis were positive for anti-HCV antibodies.
- Foreign-born cryptogenic cirrhosis patients had a significantly higher prevalence of anti-HCV (p = 0.021).
- HCV positivity was less common in alcoholic cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis C is a significant contributor to cryptogenic cirrhosis in a suburban American population.
- Unrecognized risk factors, potentially linked to being foreign-born, may increase HCV prevalence in cryptogenic cirrhosis.
- Anti-HCV positivity is low in other chronic liver diseases, highlighting HCV's specific role in unexplained cirrhosis.
Abstract:
To assess the role of the hepatitis C virus in patients with unexplained chronic liver disease, we tested for the presence of anti-hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) in the stored serum of patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis and a variety of other chronic liver diseases. The anti-HCV assay was performed by both the enzyme-linked and recombinant immunoblot methods in 16 patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis. Eight of these 16 patients (50%) were seropositive. Six of these eight patients were born outside of the United States, compared with only one of eight seronegative patients (p = 0.021). Of the anti-HCV-positive cryptogenic cirrhotic patients, 50% also had markers of previous hepatitis B infection, compared with only 12.5% of seronegative patients. Evidence of anti-HCV positivity was found in 10%, 19%, 0%, and 0% in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis, respectively. We conclude that in a suburban American population, hepatitis C accounts for a significant percentage of patients with presumed cryptogenic cirrhosis. Unrecognized risk factors may account for a higher prevalence of HCV in foreign-born patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis. A low prevalence of anti-HCV positivity is found in other forms of chronic liver disease.
