The incidence and clinical significance of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus(GBV-C/HGV) infection were evaluated in 68 patients on maintenance hemodialysis. GBV-C/HGV RNA was identified in serum by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay with nested primers deduced from a nonstructural region. Hepatitis B surface antigen(by RIA) and anti-hepatitis C(by ELISA) were checked simultaneously. Out of 68 patients, GBV-C/HGV RNA was detected in 5(7.4%), HBsAg in 4 patients(5.9%) and anti-HCV in 15 patients(22%). All 5 patients with positive GBV-C/HGV RNA had a history of blood transfusion. Out of 5 patients with positive GBV-C/HGV RNA, 2 patients were coinfected with hepatitis C virus, who showed chronic hepatitis clinically. Three patients with isolated GBV-C/HGV infection showed normal liver function during last 18 months' period. Between the patients with positive GBV-C/HGV RNA and those with negative GBV- C/HGV RNA, there was no difference in age, sex, duration of hemodialysis and amount of transfusion. Our data suggest that GBV-C/HGV infection may be present, with or without hepatitis C virus infection, in maintenance hemodialysis patients. Although the liver function of patients with isolated GBV-C/ HGV infection was normal, the clinical significance of this new virus remains to be determined.
Blood Transfusion ; GB virus C ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Liver ; Renal Dialysis* ; RNA

BACKGROUND: A recently identified Flaviviridae-like agent, termed hepatitis G virus (HGV), has been recognized as a non A-E hepatitis agent, but its relation to liver disease and transmission mode are not well understood. We investigated HGV infection rate in Korea and tried to clarify its relation to the liver disease. METHODS: 145 blood donors, 39 hemodialysis patients and 22 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected persons were investigated for the presence of HGV by nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR) with primers from the 5' UTR of HGV and some liver function tests. In each PCR assay, one positive and two negative controls were included. RESULTS: HGV-RNA was detected in 11 (7.6%) of 145 young voluntary blood donors and in 5 (12.8%) of 39 hemodialysis patients and in 8 (36.4%) of 22 HCV infected patients. All HGV RNA positive hemodialysis patients have a past history of transfusion, but they had a remarkably shorter duration of hemodialysis than those of HGV-negative patients. HCV infected patients with HGV-RNA tended to be younger than those without HGV-RNA. In all 15 HGV-RNA infected individuals without hepatitis B and C infection, alanine amino transferase was not increased except in 2 cases. Liver function tests did not show a significant difference between HGV-RNA positive patients and negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis G virus infection rate was much higher in Korea than other countries, so we suggested that group life could be another transmission mode other than blood transfusion. But even in infected cases, HGV did not seem to cause hepatitis and a high proportion cleared the virus after a relatively short time.
5' Untranslated Regions ; Alanine ; Blood Donors* ; Blood Transfusion ; GB virus C* ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Function Tests ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Renal Dialysis* ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA ; Transferases

Infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria and parasites, can be transmitted via human blood and blood products. Of greatest importance are viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1/2), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV), followed by other viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human parvovirus B19. Viruses such as hepatitis G virus and TT virus can also be transmitted via blood products, but their pathogenicity is still unclear. Bacteria, including Treponema pallidum and Yersinia enterocolitica and parasites such as Plasmodium species can also be transmitted from donors to recipients. Furthermore, the threat of newly emerging pathogens that can affect the blood safety, such as the variant Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease, is always present. The measures to reduce the risks of transfusiontransmitted infection within the last 20 years, such as donor selection and testing donated blood for various infectious agents, have had a remarkable impact on the safety of blood supply. Nevertheless, the public expectation of absolute blood safety continues to exert pressure to eliminate the remaining risks. The recent introduction of molecular biology techniques combined with viral inactivation methods is directed to get this goal.
Bacteria ; Blood Safety ; Cytomegalovirus ; Donor Selection ; GB virus C ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis B virus ; HIV ; Humans ; Molecular Biology ; Parasites ; Parvovirus B19, Human ; Plasmodium ; Tissue Donors ; Torque teno virus ; Treponema pallidum ; Virulence ; Virus Inactivation ; Yersinia enterocolitica

Hepacivirus ; pathogenicity ; Hepatitis C ; virology ; Receptors, Virus

Serum samples from 123 males and 123 females collected by age in 1996 were analyzed for antibodies against surface antigen of Hepatitis B virus and C22-3, C200 antigens of Hepatitis C virus. Sera from the children under the age of 10 showed 30% seropositivity to the surface antigen of Hepatitis B virus, 33.3% in 10~19 year group, 20% in 20~29 year group, 17.6% in 30~39 year group, 3.3% in 40~49 year group, 5.9% in 50~59 year group, 8,3% in 60~69 year group, 2.9% in 70~79 year group, but antibody could not found in 80~86 year group. 12 out of 123 male sera were positive, 19 out of 123 female sera were positive and overall rate of positivity of antibody against surface antigen of Hepatitis B virus was 12.6%. Serum samples from peoples under the age of 30 had not antibody against C22-3, C200 antigens of Hepatitis C virus. The positivity rate was 2.9% in 30~39 year group. 5 out of 30 sera from 40~49 year age group were positive, and 3 positive sera showed extremely high titer (1:524,288) but the titers of two remaining sera were 1:32, 1:8,192 respectively. 5.9% was positive in 50~59 year group, 8.3% in 60~69 year group, 11.8% in 70~79 year group but all negative in 80~86 yea. group. 6 out of 123 male sera were positive (4.9%), 9 out of 123 female sera were positive (7.3%). Overall .ate of positivity of antibody against C22-3, C200 antigen of Hepatitis C virus was 6.1%. None out of 246 sera had both antibodies against Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis C virus.
Antibodies* ; Antigens, Surface ; Child ; Female ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans* ; Male

The cytokine patterns secreted by T cells at the site of viral replication may influence the final outcome of HBV and HCV infection. The different cytokine profiles of T cells within the liver in chronic HBV (Th0/Th2 cytokine) and HCV (Th1 cytokine) infections illustrate a different behavior of the local immune response in these two infections. The predominance of Th1-type cytokine responses has been reported to play an important role in viral clearance of patients with both acute and chronic hepatitis B. In contrast, a combined Th1-and Th2-like responses were found in chronic hepatitis C, exhibiting a pattern like that of acute hepatitis C with chronic evolution. It suggests that different patterns of cytokine expressions between HBV and HCV infection involve the difference in chronicity in each infection.
Cytokines* ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis C ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Liver ; T-Lymphocytes

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; virology ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis C ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; virology

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are among the most common causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. The host immune pressure against hepatitis viruses during the chronic infection has led to mutations in their coding genes, which could play a pivotal role in the clinical outcomes of chronic patients. Our recent molecular epidemiologic studies regarding the HBV precore/core (preC/C) regions and HCV nonstructural 5B (NS5B) protein suggest the presence of distinct CD4 T cell immune pressure against HBV and HCV in Korean chronic patients. However, induced HBV and HCV mutations seem to exert an opposite effect on Korean chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients, respectively. On the basis of two of our recent papers, we focused in this review on the relationships between the mutation patterns of HBV preC/C and HCV NS5B, which were presumed to be caused by distinct CD4 T cell pressure in the Korean population and their effect on the clinical outcomes and liver disease progression of CHB and CHC patients.
Clinical Coding ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis Viruses ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver Diseases

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis G virus(HGV) is known to be associated with non-A-E hepatitis but pathogenic relevance and mode of transmission are still unclear. In this study, we analyzed the prevalence and clinical implicati ons of HGV infection in patients on hemodialysis or being treated for hematologic disease, and healthy controls. METHODS: HGV RNA was identified in serum by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) with nested primers deduced from highly conserved area of the 5'-untranslated region. Other parenterally transmissible hepatitis viral markers(HBsAg and anti-HCV) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT), history of transfusion, duration of hemodialysis were assessed. RESULTS: HGV RNA was detected in 12.5%(8 of 64) of the patients on hemodialysis and in 24.1%(14 of 58) of the patients treated for hematologic disease, as compared with 0.8%(1 of 120) of healthy controls(P<0.05). HBsAg, anti-HCV, ALT level, rate of transfusion history and duration of hemodialysis were not significantly different between HGV-infected patients and non-HGV-infected patients. In patients treated for hematologic disease, sex was significantly different between HGV positive and negative groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients on hemodialysis and being treated for hematologic disease have increased risk for HGV infection, but there was no clinical difference between HGV RNA positive and negative groups. HGV infection itself does not seem to be a frequent cause of liver disease in these patients. The clinical significance of long-term infection with HGV remains to be established.
Alanine ; GB virus C* ; Hematologic Diseases ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Prevalence* ; Renal Dialysis ; RNA

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) can strongly inhibit the replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and effectively clear the infection, but it may cause hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation, leading to severe liver damage and fulminate hepatitis in patients with HCV/HBV coinfection. In this review, we summarized the different replication process of HCV and HBV in infected hepatocytes and consequent innate immune response, and then discussed the molecular mechanism and clinical significance of HBV reactivation, and put forward the clinical precaution.
Humans ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepacivirus ; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/drug therapy* ; Virus Activation ; Hepatitis C/drug therapy* ; Coinfection/drug therapy* ; Hepatitis B/drug therapy*