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Hepatitis G virus coinfection in hepatitis C virus-infected liver transplant recipients
H E Vargas1, T Laskus, M Radkowski
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-2582, USA.
Insights
Hepatitis G virus (HGV) coinfection is common in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease awaiting liver transplantation. HGV coinfection does not impact liver transplant outcomes or graft hepatitis recurrence.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Transplantation Medicine
Background:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of end-stage liver disease.
- Hepatitis G virus (HGV) coinfection is increasingly recognized in patients with chronic liver disease.
- The impact of HGV coinfection on liver transplantation outcomes remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of HGV infection in patients with HCV-related end-stage liver disease.
- To investigate the influence of HGV coinfection on liver transplantation outcomes.
- To assess the effect of HGV coinfection on hepatitis recurrence in liver grafts.
Main Methods:
- HGV detection using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting.
- Analysis of sera from 159 HCV-infected patients prior to liver transplantation.
- Follow-up of patients for a mean of 28.4 months post-transplantation.
Main Results:
- HGV infection was present in 41 (25.3%) of the studied patients.
- HGV prevalence was consistent across different HCV genotypes.
- No significant differences in patient survival, graft recurrence rates, or fibrosis scores were observed between HGV-positive and HGV-negative groups.
Conclusions:
- HGV infection is prevalent in HCV-infected patients undergoing liver transplantation.
- HGV coinfection does not adversely affect liver transplantation outcomes.
- HGV coinfection does not influence the recurrence of hepatitis in the transplanted liver graft.
Background:
In this study, we determined the prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in end-stage hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease and examined the influence of HGV coinfection on the outcome of liver transplantation.
Methods:
HGV was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting in sera drawn from 159 patients who were known to be HCV infected before transplantation. Patients were followed up for a mean of 28.4 months after transplantation.
Results:
Forty-one (25.3%) patients were HGV positive and the prevalence of HGV infection was similar for different HCV genotypes. Both HGV-positive and -negative groups had similar survival, recurrence rates, inflammatory activity scores, and degree of fibrosis at the time of recurrence.
Conclusion:
Infection with HGV is common in end-stage HCV-infected patients presenting for liver transplantation. It influences neither the outcome of liver transplantation nor the recurrence of hepatitis in the graft.