High prevalence of GB virus-C/hepatitis G virus infection in liver transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
To determine the prevalence of GB virus-C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) infection in liver transplant recipients transplanted for non-hepatitis C virus indications, 44 patients transplanted for cryptogenic, autoimmune, hepatitis B, or cholestatic liver disease and 91 non-liver transplantation (LT) patients with similar diagnoses seen in the same study period (control group) were studied.


METHODS
HGV RNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with primers from the 5'-untranslated region.


RESULTS
GBV-C/HGV RNA was commonly detected in post-LT patients compared with the control group (28/44 [64%] vs. 13/91 [14%]; P<0.001). GBV-C/HGV infection was not related to the number of blood products transfused, a particular surgeon, or a specific liver disease. GBV-C/HGV infection also had no significant impact on the post-LT clinical profile.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that GBV-C/HGV infection is very common in LT recipients, but that it has minimal clinical impact in this population.
Dickson
R C
RC
Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA.
Qian
K P
KP
Lau
J Y
JY
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000473:pathology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000410:Alanine Transaminase