Infection with an apparently harmless, newly recognized virus called GBV-C or hepatitis G, seems to interfere with HIV, slowing its progression and prolonging survival of AIDS patients.
The hepatitis G virus was discovered in 1995, in a search for hepatitis viruses. It does not appear to cause hepatitis or any other disease, unlike other blood-borne hepatitis viruses that cause liver damage. It is found in about 2 percent of healthy blood donors.
This study was carried out at the Medical School Hanover in Germany. A total of 197 HIV-positive patients were followed prospectively beginning in 1993 or 1994. The researchers found significantly longer survival for the 33 (16.8 percent) HIV patients with hepatitis G. They also tested for the level of hepatitis G virus in blood and found that high levels of hepatitis G infection were associated with less HIV in the blood.
The presence of this virus leads to an inhibition of HIV replication. Researchers concluded that HIV-infected people without the hepatitis G infection were nearly four times more likely to die than those infected with it. They cannot figure out exactly how the virus works, however it could lead to new treatments for AIDS virus. In the meantime, they warned patients against intentionally infecting themselves as the long-term consequences of infection with this virus are still not known.
NEJM; Sept 2001, Vol. 345 : (10)