High prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders in Italy

Am J Hematol. 1997 Jun;55(2):77-82. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8652(199706)55:2<77::aid-ajh5>3.0.co;2-#.

Abstract

Starting from the observation that a number of consecutive patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) resulted positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies on routine testing, we set up a survey for HCV contact prevalence in all patients with lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) followed in our institution. We searched for HCV antibodies by a third-generation ELISA technique, followed by a confirmation test (RIBA III); serum viral RNA and HCV genotype were investigated by a RT-PCR technique. We screened a total of 315 patients suffering from B-NHL (91), multiple myeloma (56), MGUS (48), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (57), Waldentrom's macroglobulinemia (13), Hodgkin's disease (HD)(43), and T-NHL (9). While only 1 of 52 patients with a non-B-LPD (HD or T-NHL) had signs of HCV contact (i.e., 1.9%, which is in the range of the normal population in the South of Italy), 59 of 263 patients with a B-LPD (22.4%) had HCV antibodies or RNA, or both, with no major differences among the various types of disorders, except for WM, in which the rate was higher (61.5%). The same prevalence was found for patients tested at diagnosis or during the follow-up, and in transfused or never-transfused patients. Only a few patients were aware of having a liver disease; one-half of HCV-positive patients never had transaminase increase. A review of data from Central and Northern Italy is included, showing similar findings; a report from Japan has confirmed such an association, while limited surveys in England have not revealed any correlation. These findings may have important biological and clinical implications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • B-Lymphocytes
  • Female
  • Hepacivirus / classification
  • Hepatitis B / complications
  • Hepatitis C / complications*
  • Hepatitis C / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / complications
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / complications*
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / microbiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA, Viral / analysis

Substances

  • RNA, Viral