Abstract
Sera from 77 patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) were tested for GB virus C (GBV-C) RNA, because they are prone to unexplained chronic hepatitis, and from 28 patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) who have a similar primary antibody deficiency but are not prone to hepatitis. Eight CVID and 8 XLA patients were positive; 6 positive CVID and 3 XLA patients had abnormal liver enzymes, explained in 3 by either hepatitis B or C virus infection. Most patients tested had antibodies to the E2 antigen of GBV-C, apparently passively acquired from their immunoglobulin therapy. The high prevalence of GBV-C viremia in CVID and XLA patients is probably explained by their long-term exposure to blood products. Our data indicate that GBV-C does not cause chronic hepatitis in immunocompromised XLA patients and is not the cause of chronic non-B or -C hepatitis in the majority of CVID patients.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Agammaglobulinemia / blood
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Agammaglobulinemia / complications
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Agammaglobulinemia / immunology*
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Agammaglobulinemia / virology
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Common Variable Immunodeficiency / blood
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Common Variable Immunodeficiency / complications
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Common Variable Immunodeficiency / immunology*
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Common Variable Immunodeficiency / virology
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Female
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Flaviviridae / genetics
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Flaviviridae / immunology*
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Hepatitis Antibodies / blood*
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Hepatitis Antibodies / immunology
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Hepatitis, Viral, Human / blood
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Hepatitis, Viral, Human / complications
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Hepatitis, Viral, Human / immunology*
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Humans
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Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Opportunistic Infections / blood
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Opportunistic Infections / complications
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Opportunistic Infections / immunology*
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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RNA, Viral
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Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology*
Substances
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Hepatitis Antibodies
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Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
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RNA, Viral
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Viral Envelope Proteins
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glycoprotein E2, GB virus C