title: Hepatitis G virus coinfection in hepatitis C virus-infected liver transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study, we determined the prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in end-stage hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease and examined the influence of HGV coinfection on the outcome of liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  HGV was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting in sera drawn from 159 patients who were known to be HCV infected before transplantation. Patients were followed up for a mean of 28.4 months after transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one (25.3%) patients were HGV positive and the prevalence of HGV infection was similar for different HCV genotypes. Both HGV-positive and -negative groups had similar survival, recurrence rates, inflammatory activity scores, and degree of fibrosis at the time of recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infection with HGV is common in end-stage HCV-infected patients presenting for liver transplantation. It influences neither the outcome of liver transplantation nor the recurrence of hepatitis in the graft.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-2582, USA.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laskus
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radkowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poutous
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dodson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gayowski
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhang-Keck
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rakela
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018067:Flaviviridae; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000821:virology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged