TY - JOUR T1 - Hepatitis G virus does not cause significant liver disease after liver transplantation JF - Journal of viral hepatitis Y1 - 1998 A1 - Karayiannis,P. A1 - Brind,A. M. A1 - Pickering,J. A1 - Mathew,J. A1 - Burt,A. D. A1 - Hess,G. A1 - Bassendine,M. F. A1 - Thomas,H. C. KW - Alanine Transaminase / metabolism KW - Bile Ducts / cytology / pathology KW - Biopsy KW - Blood Transfusion / adverse effects KW - Epithelial Cells / pathology KW - Female KW - Flaviviridae / genetics / immunology / *isolation & purification KW - Hepatitis Antibodies / analysis / immunology KW - Hepatitis, Viral, Human / *diagnosis / epidemiology / immunology KW - Humans KW - Immunocompromised Host KW - Liver / physiology / virology KW - Liver Transplantation / *adverse effects KW - Male KW - Polymerase Chain Reaction KW - Prevalence KW - RNA, Viral / *isolation & purification KW - Viremia / diagnosis AB - The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of infection with the newly described hepatitis G virus (HGV) in a liver transplant cohort, and to establish the frequency and nature of hepatitis in those with and without HGV infection. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction technique was employed to determine viraemia in the patients, and liver biopsies taken at different times after transplantation were assessed histologically. Hepatitis G virus RNA was detected in 47% of the liver transplant recipients investigated. Those positive for HGV had received significantly more blood or blood products than the HGV-negative patients. The frequency of abnormal liver function tests was similar in HGV-positive and HGV-negative recipients. Bile duct epithelial cell damage was more frequently seen in those with HGV viraemia. This study indicates that almost half of the liver transplant recipients in Northern England are positive for HGV, and that infection is associated with exposure to blood and blood products. It appears that, in the immunosuppressed patient, HGV does not cause clinically significant liver disease, at least up to 2 years after transplantation. If HGV infection is associated with hepatitis outside this clinical setting, it is likely that the liver damage is immunopathologically mediated rather than as a result of direct viral cytotoxicity. VL - 5 CP - 1 N1 - Karayiannis, P Brind, A M Pickering, J Mathew, J Burt, A D Hess, G Bassendine, M F Thomas, H C ENGLAND J Viral Hepat. 1998 Jan;5(1):35-42. ID - 759 ER -