Hepatitis G virus RNA in the serum of patients with elevated gamma glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase: a specific liver disease

Abstract

We tested the sera of 67 consecutive patients for hepatitis G virus (HGV) RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). These patients (42 males and 25 females, median age 35 years, range 13-64 years) had liver disease of unknown aetiology and were without markers of hepatitis (A-E) viruses or signs of genetically determined, autoimmune, alcoholic or drug-induced liver disease. The controls in this study were 110 patients (50 females and 60 males, median age 45 years, range 9-65 years) with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (19 patients) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (91 patients). Ten of 67 (14.9%) patients with cryptogenic disease were positive for HGV RNA by at least three separate tests; HGV RNA was also detected in one of 19 (5.3%) hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and in nine of 91 (16.6%) patients with antibody to HCV. These data suggest that HGV occurs as frequently in HCV-infected patients as in those with cryptogenic disease. Elevated serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) (higher than twice the normal value) and alkaline phosphatase levels were found in eight of 10 (80%) HGV RNA positive patients and in six of 57 (10.5%) HGV RNA negative patients (P < 0.0001). Five (50%) HGV RNA positive patients had non-specific inflammatory bile duct lesions. A statistically significant difference was observed between HGV RNA positive and negative patients with chronic HBV or HCV infections (P < 0.029). Therefore, the spectrum of liver disease associated with HGV is wide, but a characteristic lesion of the bile duct leading to elevation of cholestatic enzymes might be specific for this virus.

ASS and SULT2A1 are Novel and Sensitive Biomarkers of Acute Hepatic Injury-A Comparative Study in Animal Models

“…Several other enzymes such as isocitrate dehydrogenase [1] and anti-oxidative enzyme Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST) [2] were also shown as potential markers for viral hepatitis injury. γ-Glutamyl Transferase (γ-GT) has been used for diagnostics of hepatitis accompanied by cholestasis and hepatobiliary injury and viral hepatitis B and C [3,4]. Elevated GST levels in blood were detected in posttraumatic hepatic injury in primates, acute hepatotoxicity, and intestinal ischemia in rats [5-7].…”

GBV-C/HGV coinfection in HIV-1-positive men: Frequent detection of viral RNA in blood plasma but absence from seminal fluid plasma

“…GBV-C/HGV infection has been associated with a variety of hepatic diseases, including non-A-E hepatitis [Linnen et al, 1996;Byrnes et al, 1996] and cholestatic liver diseases [Collambata et al, 1996;Ross et al, 1997], although an aetiological role in liver disease has not been established unequivocally [Miyakawa et al, 1997]. GBV-C/HGV infection is usually diagnosed by detecting the presence of viral RNA in blood plasma using a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based method , although serological detection of antibodies to the envelope protein E2 was recently used to diagnose previous exposure to the virus [Dille et al, 1997;Tacke et al, 1997].…”

Hepatitis G:A Virus in Search of a Disease

“…A few questions remain, however. Colombotto et al 19 noted higher gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase levels in HCV HGV coinfected individuals than with HCV infection alone, although this remains to be independently reproduced elsewhere. Interestingly, in another study that has not been independently corroborated yet, Berg et al 20 noted that hepatocellular carcinomas were more frequent in HGV-coinfected HCV patients undergoing liver transplantation than those with HCV alone (5 of 6 vs 16 of 68; P < .01).…”