Premium
A dynamic study of viraemia in chronic hepatitis C infection
Author(s) -
MENG ZONGDA,
SUN YONGDE,
SUN DEGUI,
LIU CAIYUN,
COPLAND JOY,
GOWANS ERIC J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.1994.tb01717.x
Subject(s) - medicine , seroconversion , hepatitis c virus , virology , virus , hepatitis , viral disease , hepacivirus , flaviviridae , chronic hepatitis , hepatitis c , immunology
Abstract The dynamics of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), anti‐hepatitis C virus and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in six cases with chronic HCV infection were studied for 3‐7 years. Two of the six cases showed continued elevation of ALT, and three showed intermittent elevation. All cases were persistently positive for anti‐HCV after initial seroconversion. Five of the six cases were persistently positive for HCV RNA detected by nested polymerase chain reaction, and one was positive intermittently. Thus hepatitis C virus replicates continually in a majority of patients with chronic hepatitis C, although some cases may show intermittent replication, and replication of hepatitis C virus does not always correlate with elevated ALT.