Hepatitis C virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

RNA extracted from plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis C were used as the template for reverse transcription followed by double in vitro enzymatic amplification with nested primers. Hepatitis C virus was detected in 14 of 15 (93.3%) plasma specimens and in 8 of 15 (53.3%) peripheral blood mononuclear cell specimens obtained from patients with chronic hepatitis C and abnormal liver functions. The results suggest that hepatitis C virus could be found frequently in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis C. Whether the presence of hepatitis C virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells plays any role in the pathogenesis of diseases associated with hepatitis C virus infection remains to be determined.