Influence of HIV-1 infection on GBV-C infection in multiply infected haemophilic patients

Two hundred thirteen haemophilic patients were studied for the presence of GBV-C RNA and anti-E2 anti bodies soon after their fi rst treatment with unsterilised factor concentrates and in their most recent sample. An assessment was made to determine whether coinfection with HIV had any effect on the progression of GBV-C infection. All of the patients were infected with HCV and 81 patients (37%) were also infected with HIV. GBV-C RNA was detected using the Abbott LCx(TM) assay and by RT-PCR. Anti-E2 antibodies were detected using the mu PLATE Anti-HGenv assay and by Abbott Laboratories. The HIV-negative patients were more likely than the HIV-positive patients to lose GBV-C RNA between the two time points. A proportion of the patients lost their anti-E2 antibodies over the time period, however, the majority of these were HIV-positive. Th is study shows that infection with HIV does affect the progression of GBV-C infection, however, this effect is little understood as yet. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.