Prof. Yasser Ahmed Shaien :: Publications:

The present study was carried on 100 patients with chronic liver disease, for detection of HGV-RNA. All the patients were admitted to the Department of Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious diseases in Benha University Hospital. They were subjected to thorough history taking, full clinical examination and routine laboratory investigations including urine and stool analysis, CBC, liver function tests as serum bilirubin S. albumin, ALT, AST, prothrombine concentration, S. creatinine. Rectal snips for schistosomiasis and abdominal ultrasonography, were done for all the patients. Hepatitis B viral markers were done: HBsAg, anti HBcAb igM, and total HBc antibodies. Anti-HCV by ELISA second generation test, and HGV-RNA by Rt-PCR. The patients were grouped according to the results of viral markers into: ■HCV positive group (59 patients). ■HBV positive group (6 patients). ■HGV positive group (3 patients). ■HCV/HGV coinfection group (10 patients). ■HBV/ HGV coinfection group (3 patients). ■HBV/HCV coinfection group (8 patients). ■HBV/HCV/HGV coinfection group (one patient). ■HBV/HCV/HGV negative group (10 patients). ■HGV was detected in 17%, HCV in 78% and HBV in 18% of the patients either single or co-infection with the other viruses. Summa In the present study the mean age of the patients was 46.62 ± 7.47 (32-66 ys), 78% of the patients were from rural areas and 22% were from urban areas. History of injectable antibilharzial treatment was present in (60%), then dental procedures in (30%) then operations in (20%) and blood transfusion (10%) were the main risk factors for transmission of HGV. Rectal snips were positive in 41% of the patients and schistosomiasis as the only detectable cause of chronic liver disease was detected in 7/13(53.8%) patients with non B, non C patients, and only 3/17(17.6%) of patients with HGV-RNA had have active schistosomiasis by rectal snips. The clinical and laboratory assessment revealed that there was no statistically significant difference neither between HBV and HBV/HGV coinfection patients nor between HCV alone and HCV/HGV coinfection. HGV appears to have a very limited role in causing chronic liver disease.