Hepatitis C Virus Serum Markers and Liver Disease in Children With Leukemia During and After Chemotherapy

• Published in: Blood 1993-10, Vol.82 (8), p.2564-2567
• Main Authors: Locasciulli, Anna, Cavalletto, Daniela, Pontisso, Patrizia, Cavalletto, Luisa, Scovena, Elena, Uderzo, Comelio, Masera, Giuseppe, Alberti, Alfredo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alanine Transaminase - blood; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepacivirus - immunology; Hepatitis Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis C - complications; Hepatitis C - diagnosis; Hepatitis C Antibodies; Humans; Leukemia - complications; Leukemia - drug therapy; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Liver Diseases - complications; Liver Diseases - diagnosis; Medical sciences; Molecular Sequence Data; RNA, Viral - blood
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V82.8.2564.2564

The pattern of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serum markers and liver disease was investigated in 11 leukemic children showing anti-HCV reactivity at least once during long-term observation to define the role of HCV infection and the behavior of HCV serologic markers in this patient cohort. Antibodies to HCV by first- and second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by second-generation (four antigens) recombinant immunoblotting assay (RIBA) and HCV-RNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were serially examined in serum. Liver disease was defined according to transaminase levels. Seven of 11 patients were found HCV-RNA positive during chemotherapy and after blood transfusion, 3 of 11 became viremic during follow-up, and 1 of 11 was always HCV-RNA negative. Seroconversion to anti-HCV positivity by second-generation ELISA occurred in all the HCV-RNA positive children either during or after chemotherapy. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were elevated in all the HCV-RNA positive patients during antileukemic treatment and normalized in seven of them after therapy withdrawal, despite persisting viremia. These results indicate that HCV-RNA testing by polymerase chain reaction is required to correctly identify HCV infection in patients with leukemia while on chemotherapy. Viremia did not correlate with ALT levels and anti-HCV patterns.