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Hepatitis C virus genotypes and severity of chronic liver disease in haemophiliacs
Author(s) -
Tagariello Giuseppe,
Pontisso Patrizia,
Davoli Pier Giorgio,
Ruvoletto Maria Grazia,
Traldi Agostino,
Alberti Alfredo
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1995.tb05373.x
Subject(s) - haemophilia , medicine , hepatitis c virus , liver disease , chronic liver disease , hepatitis c , viral disease , genotype , immunology , gastroenterology , virus , haemophilia a , disease , flaviviridae , virology , biology , cirrhosis , surgery , gene , biochemistry
Summary. We studied the activity and stage of chronic liver disease in 45 HCV‐seropositive/HIV‐seronegative patients with severe haemophilia followed for at least 10 years. HCV‐RNA was detected in serum in 36 patients (80%) Viraemic cases were further analysed for HCV genotypes: 10 (28%) were infected by type la, 10 (28%) by type lb, seven (19%) by type 2, four (11%) by type 3, four (11%) had mixed infections (one by la + lb, one by la 4‐ 2, one by type 2+3, and one by la + 2 + 3). ALT levels were within the normal range in 55% of the HCV‐RNA negative patients but in only 11% of the viraemic cases. Results show a trend for higher levels of ALT in HCV‐RNA‐positive patients compared with those without viraemia (98 ± 56 v 60 ± 61), and particularly with patients with type 3 HCV infection (148 ± 44). We suggest that a slow progression of chronic liver disease occurs in haemophilic HCV‐positive/HiV‐negative patients and conclude that presence of HCV‐RNA in serum correlates well with cytolitic damage but, in the time‐scale of our follow‐up period, commonly used clinical‐laboratory parameters cannot predict the chronic evolution of liver infection or identify differences in disease progression in relation to specific HCV subtypes.