High prevalence and coinfection rate of hepatitis G and C infections in intravenous drug addicts.
OBJECTIVE
The hepatitis G virus is a newly discovered RNA virus which is possibly transmitted parenterally. Hepatitis G virus is associated with acute or chronic hepatitis and may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, characteristics shared by the hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C virus is prevalent in drug users, but the frequency and role of hepatitis G virus is not yet well established.


METHODS
One hundred and seventeen heavy i.v. drug users were enrolled in a prospective, controlled, randomized study for i.v. administration of heroin and/or methadone. Hepatitis G virus was detected using a hot start polymerase chain reaction followed by an ELISA polymerase chain reaction assay. Hepatitis C virus genotyping was done using the Inno-Lipa strip assay.


RESULTS
Hepatitis G virus infection was detected in 35% (41/117) of the study population and hepatitis C virus infection in 95.7% (112/117). Ninety-seven percent of hepatitis G virus positive patients were coinfected with hepatitis C virus, of whom 75% were infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 3a. This genotype was prevalent in 48.3% of patients infected with hepatitis C virus alone. The presence or absence of hepatitis G virus infection had no influence on chronic hepatitis. Twenty-two percent of patients who started injecting heroin before 1980 and 40% of those who started after 1980 were hepatitis G virus positive. Overall, 16 patients were infected with human immunodeficiency virus, six were coinfected with hepatitis G virus and hepatitis C virus, and 10 only with hepatitis C virus.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis G virus infection is highly prevalent in i.v. drug users, but less frequent than hepatitis C virus infection. The fact that all but two patients were coinfected with hepatitis C virus, 75% with one genotype, supports a common route of transmission for both viruses. The course of hepatitis C virus infection is not altered by hepatitis G virus infection.
Diamantis
I
I
Outpatient Department of Internal Medicine, University of Basel, Switzerland.
Bassetti
S
S
Erb
P
P
Ladewig
D
D
Gyr
K
K
Battegay
M
M
D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018067:Flaviviridae; D005838:Genotype; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors
D012367:RNA, Viral