Rare occurrence of occult hepatitis C virus in apparently uninfected injecting drug users: a two‐centre, masked, case–control study

Sugden, P. B.; Pham, Tram N. Q.; Ratnarajah, S.; Cameron, Barbara; Bull, Rowena A.; White, Peter A.; Michalak, Tomasz I.; Lloyd, Andrew R.

doi:10.1111/jvh.12098

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…These data strongly suggest that occult HCV infection may be present in at least some individuals who either spontaneously or after antiviral treatment have “cleared” virus from their serum [ 54 – 56 ].…”

Section: Hcv Oci Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been suggested that clearance of identifiable HCV from liver tissue and/or PBMC utilizing highly sensitive reverse transcription and nested polymerase chain reaction assays may be a better indicator of a long-term sustained response than the absence of HCV-RNA in serum or plasma [ 56 , 115 – 117 , 124 , 125 ]. Although the relevance of HCV-RNA detection in PBMCs alone, or in the liver in the absence of serum positivity, as well as other tissues is currently poorly understood, the ability of HCV to replicate in these extra hepatic cells, raises questions about the potential transmission risk to the liver from these sites and to other individuals as a result of blood exposure [ 123 , 126 – 129 ].…”

Section: Clinical Relevancementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A New Twist to a Chronic HCV Infection: Occult Hepatitis C

Attar

Thiel²

2015

Gastroenterology Research and Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background. The prevalence of occult hepatitis C infection (OCI) in the population of HCV-RNA negative but anti-HCV positive individuals is presently unknown. OCI may be responsible for clinically overt recurrent disease following an apparent sustained viral response (SVR) weeks to years later. Purpose. To review the available current literature regarding OCI, prevalence, pathogenic mechanisms, clinical characteristics, and future directions. Data Sources. Searching MEDLINE, article references, and national and international meeting abstracts for the diagnosis of OCI (1990–2014). Data Synthesis. The long-term followup of individuals with an OCI suggests that the infection can be transient with the loss of detectable HCV-RNA in PPBMCs after 12–18 months or alternatively exist intermittently and potentially long term. The ultimate outcome of HCV infection is decided by interplay between host immune responses, antiviral therapies, and the various well-identified viral evasion mechanisms as well as the presence of HCV infection within extrahepatic tissues. Conclusion. The currently widely held assumption of a HCV-cure in individuals having had “SVR” after 8–12 weeks of a course of DAA therapy as recently defined may not be entirely valid. Careful longitudinal followup utilizing highly sensitive assays and unique approaches to viral isolation are needed.

show abstract

Section: Hcv Oci Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Clinical Relevancementioning

confidence: 99%

A New Twist to a Chronic HCV Infection: Occult Hepatitis C

Attar

Thiel²

2015

Gastroenterology Research and Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Indeed, a recurrence of occult previous chronic hepatitis C with a persistently undetectable viraemia (and also persistently normal liver enzymes) that became detectable8 9 in the context of the leptospirosis is another possible explanation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis C and leptospirosis: simultaneous acute infections or recurrence of occult hepatitis C

Ferraz¹,

Pereira

Carvalho

et al. 2015

BMJ Case Reports

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

People who inject drugs are vulnerable to several infections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of a simultaneous diagnosis of leptospirosis and acute infection or recurrence of occult hepatitis C in an HIV-infected drug user. We report a case of a 47-year-old Caucasian man with HIV infection, on antiretroviral therapy, and with a history of hepatitis C (positive anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HCV RNA persistently negative) who was admitted with febrile acute hepatitis. He was a former injecting drug user, on opioid substitution therapy, who relapsed to injection drug use 3 weeks prior to admission. Work up revealed positive HCV RNA and Leptospira DNA in his urine. Four weeks later he had an undetectable HCV load, and also at 6 months of follow-up. This case highlights the presence of two concomitant infectious aetiologies of acute hepatitis in an HIV-infected drug user.

show abstract

“…Тем не менее такая форма инфекции в ряде случаев приводит к фиброзу печени, циррозу и гепатоцеллюлярной карциноме [8]. Согласно многочисленным данным литературы, эта инфекция была обнаружена в различных группах пациентов, в том числе у 10-74% лиц с хроническими заболеваниями печени, криптогенным циррозом и гепатоцеллюлярной карциномой неясной этиологии [6,7,9,10], у больных, получающих регулярную заместительную почечную терапию в 3,7-26,5% случаев [5,6,11], у 0,5% реципиентов почечного трансплантата [6], у 10-20% потребителей инъекционных наркотиков [12], у 1,9-20% пациентов с заболеваниями системы крови [13][14][15][16]. Однако данные литературы, посвящённой обнаружению скрытой ВГС-инфекции при различных нозологических формах заболеваний системы крови, противоречивы [13][14][15][16].…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Low Concentrations of Hepatitis C Virus Rna in Serologically Mild Infection

Yaroslavtseva¹,

Tikhomirov²,

Николаева

et al. 2019

Problems of Virology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Occult HCV infection (OCI) provides significant interest recently. HCV RNA in this case can be detected not in plasma, but in blood cells and/or in liver tissue. In case of antibody genesis impairment anti-HCV detection may lead to negative or “uncertain” result. The aim of the study was to estimate infection type in blood donors and patients with hematological diseases by exploration of samples with uncertain anti-HCV detection results. Blood samples of 30 180 potential blood donors’ and 4322 patients with hematological diseases were tested. Comparative analysis of wide pattern of HCV markers was performed. 33 blood donors and 42 patients were enrolled in follow-up examination. Uncertain results of Anti-HCV detection in donors’ samples were in 0.18% of cases. Follow-up examination of 33 donors provided discordant results using immunochemiluminescence assay and ELISA. 15.2% donors’ samples contained HCV RNA in low concentration. Follow-up observation of 42 patients with incomplete antiviral antibody pattern showed HCV RNA presence in 40.5% cases (21.4% high viremia and 19.0% low viremia). Samples with low RNA concentration contained low titers of anti-core antibodies. Samples with high titers of anti-core antibodies contained high HCV RNA level. Uncertain results of anti-HCV in 15.2% of potential blood donors’ samples were confirmed by detection of HCV RNA in low concentration. It proved OCI presence in these individuals and called for testing for wide pattern of HCV markers in addition to routine screening. Patients with hematological diseases showed low level of HCV RNA along with low titers of antibodies against one or two viral antigens.

show abstract

Rare occurrence of occult hepatitis C virus in apparently uninfected injecting drug users: a two‐centre, masked, case–control study

Cited by 9 publications

References 8 publications

A New Twist to a Chronic HCV Infection: Occult Hepatitis C

A New Twist to a Chronic HCV Infection: Occult Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C and leptospirosis: simultaneous acute infections or recurrence of occult hepatitis C

Low Concentrations of Hepatitis C Virus Rna in Serologically Mild Infection

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About