Evidence for Viral Persistence in Patients Who Test Positive for Anti-Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies and Have Normal Alanine Aminotransferase Levels

It is unclear whether patients who test positive for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and have normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels remain infected with the virus. Eleven patients who tested positive for anti-HCV antibodies, had persistently normal ALT levels, and tested negative for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 2005-05, Vol.191 (10), p.1730-1733
Main Authors: Radkowski, Marek, Horban, Andrzej, Gallegos-Orozco, Juan F., Pawelczyk, Agnieszka, Jablonska, Joanna, Wilkinson, Jeffrey, Adair, Debra, Laskus, Tomasz
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Alanine Transaminase - blood
Antibodies
B lymphocytes
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers - blood
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genomics
Genotypes
Hepacivirus
Hepatitis C - enzymology
Hepatitis C - virology
Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood
Hepatitis C virus
Humans
Infections
Infectious diseases
Leukocytes, Mononuclear - virology
Male
Medical sciences
Microbiology
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
RNA
RNA, Viral - analysis
T lymphocytes
Virology
Viruses
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Summary:It is unclear whether patients who test positive for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and have normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels remain infected with the virus. Eleven patients who tested positive for anti-HCV antibodies, had persistently normal ALT levels, and tested negative for HCV RNA by commercial test were studied. Serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected 2–3 times at 3–6-month intervals, and PBMCs were cultured with phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen. HCV RNA was detected in serum samples from 6 (55%) and in PBMCs from 11 (100%) patients. Our results suggest that, in asymptomatic patients who test positive for anti-HCV antibodies, small quantities of HCV RNA commonly persist, even in patients who test negative for HCV RNA in serum by commercial tests.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1086/429834