title: GB virus-C/hepatitis G virus infection in an area endemic for viral hepatitis, chronic liver disease, and liver cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: 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