Is hepatitis C virus involved in hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia?

Article Abstract:

Aplastic anemia, in which the cells of the bone marrow fail to adequately product new blood cells, is an uncommon complication of hepatitis. The relationship between the hepatitis and aplastic anemia is unclear, and previous studies have found no evidence that either hepatitis A virus or hepatitis B virus is associated with aplastic anemia. Researchers have been inclined to attribute aplastic anemia to what has been called 'non-A, non-B hepatitis'. More recently, virologists have isolated the virus responsible for non-A, non-B hepatitis, a single-strand RNA virus which is now called hepatitis C. A total of 188 patients with aplastic anemia, including post-hepatitis aplasia, aplasia that was idiopathic (of unknown cause), and inherited or acquired aplasia, were examined for specific antibodies against the hepatitis C virus. If hepatitis C virus were responsible for post-hepatitis aplastic anemia, then these patients would most likely have antibodies against this virus; but this was not the case. The majority of post-hepatitis aplastic anemia patients did not have antibodies against hepatitis C virus, and the proportion of those who did was not strikingly different than the proportion observed in those with other forms of aplastic anemia. These results suggest that hepatitis C virus is not associated with post-hepatitis aplastic anemia. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Hepatitis, Viral, Viral hepatitis, Hepatitis C virus, Aplastic anemia

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Hepatitis C virus type 1b (II) infection in France and Italy

Article Abstract:

The prevalence of infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) type 1b (II) appears to be declining in France and Italy. This strain of HCV is associated with severe liver disease such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and may be more resistant to interferon-alpha than other strains. Researchers studied 220 French and Italian patients with chronic HCV infection: 35 with hepatocellular carcinoma, 71 with cirrhosis and 114 with chronic active hepatitis. Genetic analysis found HCV type 1b (II) to be the most prevalent HCV strain. This strain was found in only 30.8% of patients younger than 30, but prevalence increased with age, up to 82.3% in patients older than 60. Among patients with both cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, 84.8% were found to be infected with HCV type 1b (II), compared with 75.4% of patients with cirrhosis only and 53.8% of patients with chronic hepatitis. Among patients treated with interferon-alpha, those with HCV type 1b (II) showed less response than those with other HCV strains.

Demographic aspects, Liver diseases, Hepatitis C

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Microsporidia infection in patients with the human immunodeficiency virus and unexplained cholangitis

Article Abstract:

Infection of the biliary tract with the microsporidium Enterocytozoon (E.) bieneusi may cause some cases of AIDS-related cholangitis. Microsporidia are parasites, and cholangitis is an inflammation of the bile duct, suppressing the flow of bile and causing abdominal pain and fever. Most cases are attributed to infection with cytomegalovirus or cryptosporidia, but in about 40% of the cases of AIDS-related cholangitis there is no identifiable cause. Of eight, HIV-infected homosexual men with unexplained cholangitis, six showed signs of E. bieneusi infection. All eight patients had bile ducts infected with microsporidia. Microsporidial infection of the biliary tract is associated with homosexual behavior and severe immunodeficiency.

AIDS (Disease), Cholangitis, Microsporidia, Microsporida

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