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Infection with GB virus C (GBV-C) in patients with fulminant hepatitis
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, Japan.
Insights
GB virus C (GBV-C) RNA was detected in 14% of fulminant hepatitis patients, a significantly higher rate than in blood donors. This suggests GBV-C may contribute to causing severe hepatitis.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Hepatitis viruses beyond A-E are suspected.
- GB virus C (GBV-C) is a proposed novel hepatitis virus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and role of GBV-C in fulminant hepatitis.
Main Methods:
- Sera from 44 fulminant hepatitis patients were tested for GBV-C RNA.
- Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with nested primers was employed.
Main Results:
- GBV-C RNA was detected in 14% of fulminant hepatitis patients.
- This prevalence was significantly higher than in age-matched blood donors (0.9%).
- GBV-C was found in patients with and without other hepatitis virus markers.
Conclusions:
- GBV-C may play a role in causing fulminant hepatitis.
- This role could be independent or in conjunction with other hepatitis viruses.
Background/Methods:
There appear to be hepatitis viruses other than hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. One of these has been proposed with a designation of GB virus C. Sera from 44 patients with fulminant hepatitis were tested for RNA of GB virus C by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction with nested primers deduced from the putative non-structural 3 (helicase) region.
Results:
RNA of GB virus C was detected in three (20%) of 15 patients with hepatitis B virus infection and three (12%) of 25 patients without markers of hepatitis A-E virus infection. Overall, GB virus C RNA was detected in six (14%) of the 44 patients with fulminant hepatitis, at a frequency significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that in three (0.9%) of 326 blood donors matched for age with the patients.
Conclusions:
These results indicate a role of GB virus C in inducing fulminant hepatitis either by itself or in concert with the other hepatitis viruses.