In this study, we analysed the frequency of micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridges
(NPBs) and nuclear buds (NBUDs) and evaluated mutagen-induced sensitivity in the
lymphocytes of patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or
hepatitis C virus (HCV). In total, 49 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (28
HBV-infected and 21 HCV-infected patients) and 33 healthy, non-infected blood donor
controls were investigated. The frequencies (‰) of MN, NPBs and NBUDs in the controls
were 4.41 ± 2.15, 1.15 ± 0.97 and 2.98 ± 1.31, respectively. The frequencies of MN
and NPBs were significantly increased (p < 0.0001) in the patient group (7.01 ±
3.23 and 2.76 ± 2.08, respectively) compared with the control group. When considered
separately, the HBV-infected patients (7.18 ± 3.57) and HCV-infected patients (3.27 ±
2.40) each had greater numbers of MN than did the controls (p < 0.0001). The
HCV-infected patients displayed high numbers of NPBs (2.09 ± 1.33) and NBUDs (4.38 ±
3.28), but only the HBV-infected patients exhibited a significant difference (NPBs =
3.27 ± 2.40, p < 0.0001 and NBUDs = 4.71 ± 2.79, p = 0.03) in comparison with the
controls. Similar results were obtained for males, but not for females, when all
patients or the HBV-infected group was compared with the controls. The lymphocytes of
the infected patients did not exhibit sensitivity to mutagen in comparison with the
lymphocytes of the controls (p = 0.06). These results showed that the lymphocytes of
patients who were chronically infected with HBV or HCV presented greater chromosomal
instability.
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