GB virus-C/hepatitis G virus infection in an area endemic for viral hepatitis, chronic liver disease, and liver cancer.
OBJECTIVE
GB virus-C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) is a newly identified flavivirus, and little is known about its clinical significance. GBV-C/HGV was investigated in different populations, and its coinfection was investigated in patients with liver disease in Taiwan where hepatitis B and C are endemic.


METHODS
Viral RNA was studied in 70 high-risk individuals, 20 patients with chronic non-B, non-C hepatitis, 13 with non-A-E fulminant hepatitis, 100 with asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen carriage, 120 with hepatitis B surface antigen-positive chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, 100 patients with chronic hepatitis C, and 100 healthy adults.


RESULTS
GBV-C/HGV infection was more frequent in high-risk groups (15%-30%) and hepatitis C virus carriers (10%) than in healthy adults (1%) and hepatitis B virus carriers (3.2%). Eighty-three percent of those infected had undergone blood transfusions previously. The prevalence in hepatitis B virus carriers increased with the severity of liver disease, being 1% in asymptomatic carriers and 10% in hepatocellular carcinoma. In chronic hepatitis C, clinical and virological data were comparable between those with and without coinfection.


CONCLUSIONS
In Taiwan, GBV-C/HGV infection is common in high-risk groups, and its coinfection seems to not aggravate the course of chronic hepatitis B or C.
Kao
J H
JH
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei.
Chen
P J
PJ
Lai
M Y
MY
Chen
W
W
Liu
D P
DP
Wang
J T
JT
Shen
M C
MC
Chen
D S
DS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002353:Carrier State; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology