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Viral clearance occurs very early during the natural resolution of hepatitis C virus infection in persons with haemophilia
Author(s) -
Eyster M. E.,
Sanders J.,
Goedert J. J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
haemophilia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.213
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1365-2516
pISSN - 1351-8216
DOI - 10.1046/j.1351-8216.2003.00836.x
Subject(s) - bdna test , medicine , clearance , hepatitis c virus , virology , haemophilia , viremia , viral load , hepatitis c , virus , rna , immunology , biology , pediatrics , gene , urology , biochemistry
Summary. We studied spontaneous hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA clearance in 12 haemophilic patients. In their earliest anti‐HCV positive samples, HCV RNA was undetectable in eight patients (66%), positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) but negative by branched‐DNA (bDNA) in three others, and quantifiable by bDNA (4839 IU/mL) in only one patient. In contrast, in earliest anti‐HCV positive samples from eight matched controls who had persistent viremia, HCV RNA was quantifiable by bDNA in seven ( P = 0.0008) and at higher levels (range 4644–678 515 IU/mL; median 43 532 IU/mL). From initial HCV infection, HCV RNA cleared in 7 months or less in four patients and in 1–2 years in six others. HCV persisted for 5 years before clearance in the absence of repeated exposure in one patient. We conclude that HCV clearance usually but not always occurs within 1–2 years after infection and is more likely in those with lower than in those with higher early viral loads.