Study on Hepatitis B with Hepatitis G virus superinfection

  Objective   To investigate the infective state of hepatitis B patients who superinfected with HGV and the effect of HGV on hepatitis B patients.

  Methods   Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique(RT-PCR)was used to determine HGV-RNA in the serum of 165 hepatitis patients and 160 healthy persons; HBc-IgM、HBV-DNA and HBeAg were measured and the difference of clinical symptoms and signs were compared between hepatitis B superinfectecd with HGV and patients with hepatitis B alone.

  Results   The infection rate of HGV in heptitis Bpatients was 14.5%, which was higher than that of 1.9% in healthy population(P < 0.001).There were no significant differences in antiHBc-IgM, HBV-DNA, HBeAg and liver function as well as clinical symptoms and signs between hepatitis B patients superinfected with HGV and patients with hepatitis B alone(P > 0.05).

  Conclusion   The infection rate of HGV in hepatitis B patients was higher than that in healthy population; HGV had no effect on the replication of HBV, which did not aggravate liver injury and clinical symptoms in hepatitis Bpatients.HGVdid not accelerate the development of hepatitis Band cirrhosis.