Significance of anti-E2 in the diagnosis of HCV infection in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: anti-E2 is frequently detected among anti-HCV antibody-negative patients.

A routine screening test used in the diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the anti-HCV antibody (anti-HCV) test containing core, NS3, NS4, and NS5 antigens of HCV. When HCV infection occurs in immunocompromised hosts, antibody formation against core, NS3, or NS4 antigens may be weak in the presence of HCV viremia and cannot be detected by routine anti-HCV tests. This study proposed that in immunocompromised hosts such as patients with chronic renal failure (whose capacity to form antibodies is diminished), antibody formation against the E2 region would be preserved, because the E2/NS1 region of HCV is strongly immunogenic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the significance of anti-E2 in the diagnosis of HCV infection among patients on maintenance hemodialysis who are anti-HCV-negative, using a conventional third-generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit. The E2/NS1 gene of HCV encoding the amino acid sequence 388-664 was molecularly cloned into a vector containing an SV 40 promotor and was expressed in Chinese Hamster ovary cells. Using this E2 protein, the anti-E2 test was performed by EIA on 100 patients on maintenance hemodialysis, and on 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were anti-HCV-positive, to evaluate the antigenecity of the E2 protein. Of the 100 hemodialysis patients, 15 (15.0%) tested anti-HCV-positive using a third generation anti-HCV ELISA kit. Of the 85 patients who tested negative for anti-HCV, nine (10.6%) were anti-E2-positive and six (66.7%) of these anti-E2 positive patients showed HCV RNA viremia by HCV reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Fourty-two (84.0%) of 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C were anti-E2-positive. As a control group, we tested for anti-E2 among 30 blood donors who were anti-HCV-negative, and also among 85 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were anti-HCV-negative, but in both groups, none (0%) was anti-E2-positive. In conclusion, these data suggest that the E2 protein of HCV should be included in a diagnostic anti-HCV kit for the detection of HCV infection in immunocompromised patients.

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Changes in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Antibody Status in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C after Eradication of HCV Infection by Interferon Therapy

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1086/428128 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 40 (6) ◽

pp. e49-e54 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

H. Toyoda ◽

T. Kumada ◽

S. Kiriyama ◽

Y. Sone ◽

M. Tanikawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Interferon Therapy ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Hcv Antibody

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Methadone therapy is associated with a reduced risk of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients who are positive for HCV antibody

Gastroenterology ◽

10.1016/s0016-5085(00)85949-1 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 118 (4) ◽

pp. A952

Author(s):

Wendell K. Clarkston ◽

Renu K. Debroy ◽

Stella G. Quiason ◽

Laura M. Alba ◽

Paul G. Cuddy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hcv Antibody ◽

Reduced Risk

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Genetic polymorphisms as the predictors of response to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Orvosi Hetilap ◽

10.1556/oh.2011.29113 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 152 (22) ◽

pp. 876-881

Author(s):

Alajos Pár

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Genetic Polymorphisms ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Genome Wide Association Study ◽

Antiviral Treatment ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Snp Analysis ◽

Chronic Hcv

The review discusses the genetic polymorphisms involved in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, that may determine the outcome of disease. In this field earlier both certain major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles and some cytokine gene variants have also been studied. Recently, the genome-wide association study (GWAS) and targeted single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis have revealed that a variant in the promoter region of interleukin-28B (IL-28B) gene is strongly linked to viral clearance and it may be the strongest pretreatment predictor of treatment response in chronic hepatitis C. Last year it was shown that two genetic variants leading to inosine triphosphatase deficiency protect against haemolytic anemia in patients receiving ribavirin during antiviral treatment for chronic HCV infection. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 876–881.

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Liver Impairment and Hematological Changes in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C and COVID-19: A Retrospective Study after One Year of Pandemic

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina57060597 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (6) ◽

pp. 597

Author(s):

Bianca Cerbu ◽

Stelian Pantea ◽

Felix Bratosin ◽

Iulia Vidican ◽

Mirela Turaiche ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Multivariate Logistic Regression Model ◽

P Value ◽

Liver Impairment ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Chronic Hcv

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing public health emergency. Patients with chronic diseases are at greater risk for complications and poor outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate the liver function abnormalities and clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 and chronic hepatitis C. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, single-center study was conducted on a cohort of 126 patients with a history of hepatitis C, confirmed with COVID-19 between 01 April 2020 and 30 December 2020. Several clinical outcomes were compared between patients with active and non-active HCV infection, and the risks of liver impairment and all-cause mortality in active HCV patients were analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Among 1057 patients under follow-up for chronic HCV infection, 126 (11.9%) were confirmed with COVID-19; of these, 95 (75.4%) were under treatment or achieved SVR, while in the other 31 (24.6%), we found active HCV replication. There was a significantly higher proportion of severe COVID-19 cases in the active HCV group as compared to the non-active HCV group (32.2 vs. 7.3%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that age, sex, alanine aminotransferase, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and HCV viral load were significant independent risk factors for liver impairment and all-cause mortality. The length of stay in hospital and intensive care unit for COVID-19 was significantly higher in patients with active HCV infection (p-value < 0.001), and a higher proportion of these patients required mechanical ventilation. Conclusions: Active HCV infection is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in COVID-19 patients.

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DIABETES MELLITUS;

The Professional Medical Journal ◽

10.29309/tpmj/2013.20.02.629 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 20 (02) ◽

pp. 220-226

Author(s):

GHAZANFAR ALI SINDHU, ◽

SADAF NAZ, ◽

FRAZ SAEED QURESHI, ◽

Zaheer Ahmed, ◽

Tamur Islam,

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Newly Diagnosed

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). HCV infection and type 2 diabetes are two common disorders with a high impact on health worldwide. There is growing evidenceto support the concept that HCV infection is a risk factor for developing type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Both insulin resistance and diabetes canadversely affect the course of chronic hepatitis C, and lead to poor response to antiviral therapy and increased incidence of Hepatocellularcarcinoma. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the frequency of type 2 Diabetes mellitus in newly diagnosed chronichepatitis C patients presenting in Allied hospital Medical unit II during six month period. Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Medicalunit-II, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad. Period: 01-08-2009 to 28-02-2010. Material and methods: All newly diagnosed patients of chronichepatitis C on the basis of PCR for HCV-RNA were included in the study. Fasting and two hours postprandial blood sample were tested.Diabetes Mellitus was labeled as per slandered. Results: Out of 180 patients with CHC 19 (10.6%) were found to have Diabetes mellituswhile 161(89.4%) were non-diabetics. Conclusions: There is close association in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in patientswith chronic hepatitis C.

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Chronic hepatitis C virus infections in Brazilian patients: association with genotypes, clinical parameters and response to long term alpha interferon therapy

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo ◽

10.1590/s0036-46651999000300010 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 183-189 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Leda BASSIT ◽

Luiz C. DA SILVA ◽

Gabriela RIBEIRO-DOS-SANTOS ◽

Geert MAERTENS ◽

Flair J. CARRILHO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Sustained Response ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Recombinant Interferon ◽

Genotype 2

The present study assessed the clinical significance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and their influence on response to long term recombinant-interferon-alpha (r-IFN-a) therapy in Brazilian patients. One hundred and thirty samples from patients previously genotyped for the HCV and with histologically confirmed chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) were evaluated for clinical and epidemiological parameters (sex, age, time of HCV infection and transmission routes). No difference in disease activity, sex, age or mode and time of transmission were seen among patients infected with HCV types 1, 2 or 3. One hundred and thirteen of them were treated with 3 million units of r-IFN-a, 3 times a week for 12 months. Initial response (IR) was significantly better in patients with genotype 2 (100%) and 3 (46%) infections than in patients with genotype 1 (29%) (p < 0.005). Among subtypes, difference in IR was observed between 1b and 2 (p < 0.005), and between 1b and 3a (p < 0.05). Sustained response (SR) was observed in 12% for (sub)type 1a, 13% for 1b, 19% for 3a, and 40% for type 2; significant differences were found between 1b and 2 (p < 0.001), and between 1b and 3a (p < 0.05). Moreover, presence of cirrhosis was significantly associated with non response and response with relapse (p < 0.05). In conclusion, non-1 HCV genotype and lack of histological diagnosis of cirrhosis were the only baseline features associated with sustained response to treatment. These data indicate that HCV genotyping may have prognostic relevance in the responsiveness to r-IFN-a therapy in Brazilian patients with chronic HCV infection, as seen in other reports worldwide.

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Clusters of Circulating let-7 Family Tumor Suppressors Are Associated with Clinical Characteristics of Chronic Hepatitis C

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21144945 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (14) ◽

pp. 4945

Author(s):

Yi-Shan Tsai ◽

Ming-Lun Yeh ◽

Pei-Chien Tsai ◽

Ching-I Huang ◽

Chung-Feng Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Family Members ◽

Circulatory System ◽

Principal Component ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Full Spectrum ◽

Expression Levels

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections can cause permanent liver-related diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Low mortality and incidence of HCC have been observed in patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing direct-acting antiviral therapy. Tumor suppressive let-7 family members are down-regulated in HCC. The present study, therefore, aimed to investigate whether expression levels for the full spectrum of let-7 family members (let-7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7i, and miR-98) in the circulatory system are useful as surveillance biomarkers for liver-related diseases to monitor treatment efficacy during HCV infection. To this end, we measured the levels of mature circulating let-7 family members using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR in 236 patients with HCV infection, and 147 age- and sex-matched controls. Using hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis, three clusters were obtained after measuring expression levels of let-7 family members in the patients and controls. Cluster 1 included let-7a/d/e/g, Cluster 2 comprised let-7b and let-7i, and Cluster 3 comprised let-7c/f/miR-98. Let-7b/c/g represented the three clusters and showed the best survival response to liver cancer when analyzed with respect to patient data. Therefore, considering the circulating levels of let7 b/c/g as representatives of the let-7 family may facilitate effective monitoring of liver-related disease.

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