Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research (May 2005)

HEV, TTV and GBV-C/HGV markers in patients with acute viral hepatitis

  • A.C. Lyra,
  • J.R.R. Pinho,
  • L.K. Silva,
  • L. Sousa,
  • C.P. Saraceni,
  • E.L. Braga,
  • J.E. Pereira,
  • M.A.S. Zarife,
  • M.G. Reis,
  • L.G.C. Lyra,
  • L.C. da Silva,
  • F.J. Carrilho

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-879X2005000500015
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 38, no. 5
pp. 767 – 775

Abstract

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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of HEV, TTV and GBV-C/GBV-C/HGV in patients with acute viral hepatitis A, B and non-A-C. We evaluated sera of 94 patients from a sentinel program who had acute hepatitis A (N = 40), B (N = 42) and non-A-C (N = 12); 71 blood donors served as controls. IgM and anti-HEV IgG antibodies were detected by enzyme immunoassay using commercial kits. TTV and GBV-C/HGV were detected by nested PCR; genotyping was done by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Anti-HEV IgG was present in 38, 10 and 17% of patients with hepatitis A, B and non-A-C. Four patients with hepatitis A and 1 with non-A-C hepatitis also had anti-HEV IgM detected in serum. TTV was detected in 21% of patients with acute hepatitis and in 31% of donors. GBV-C/HGV was detected in 9% of patients with hepatitis, and in 10% of donors. We found TTV isolates of genotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4 and GBV-C/HGV isolates of genotypes 1 and 2. Mean aminotransferase levels were lower in patients who were TTV or GBV-C/HGV positive. In conclusion, the detection of anti-HEV IgM in some acute hepatitis A cases suggests co-infection with HEV and hepatitis E could be the etiology of a few cases of sporadic non-A-C hepatitis in Salvador, Brazil. TTV genotype 1, 2, 3 and 4 isolates and GBV-C/HGV genotype 1 and 2 strains are frequent in the studied population. TTV and GBV-C/HGV infection does not appear to have a role in the etiology of acute hepatitis.

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