title: Detection of the hepatitis G virus genome among injecting drug users, homosexual and bisexual men, and blood donors.
abstract: The recently identified hepatitis G virus (HGV) is parenterally transmitted; the impact of sexual transmission is unknown. Moreover, it is unclear what proportion of HGV-infected persons may develop persistent viremia. Sera from injecting drug users (IDUs), non-drug-injecting homosexual and bisexual men with high levels of sexual risk behavior, and blood donors were tested for HGV RNA and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and HCV. HGV RNA was detected in 33% of IDUs (n = 130), 11% of homosexual and bisexual men (n = 101), and 2% of blood donors (n = 90). HGV RNA seroprevalence significantly decreased with increasing time since first drug injection, whereas the seroprevalences of both HCV RNA and anti-HCV antibody increased. Thus, a high proportion of HGV-infected persons may clear the virus and develop protective antibodies. The relatively high HGV RNA prevalence among non-drug-injecting homosexual and bisexual men indicates that sexual contact may be another important route of HGV transmission.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Medical Statistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Free University, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bienzle
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hegenscheid
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schluter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001727:Bisexuality; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000821:virology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral