title: Seroprevalence of GB virus C and persistence of RNA and antibody.
abstract: Exposure to GB virus C (GBV-C) was determined in several U.S. populations by both reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibodies to mammalian cell-expressed GBV-C envelope protein, E2 (GBV-C E2). Most individuals exposed to GBV-C were either RNA positive/ELISA negative or ELISA positive/RNA negative. Exposure, therefore, was measured as the sum of GBV-C RNA positive and GBV-C E2 antibody positive specimens, and was higher in commercial plasmapheresis donors (40.5%) than in volunteer blood donors (5.5%). In intravenous drug users (IVDUs), GBV-C exposure was 89.2%. Serial bleed specimens tested for GBV-C RNA indicate that some patients remain viremic for at least 3 years and fail to produce detectable antibodies to GBV-C E2. In other exposed individuals who tested negative for GBV-C RNA, antibodies to E2 appear to be similarly long-lived (greater than 3 years) with a fairly constant titer (ranging in reciprocal endpoint dilution from 336 to 21,504). Since the detection of GBV-C RNA and GBV-C E2 antibody are mutually exclusive in most exposed individuals, studies pertaining to incidence and prevalence of GBV-C infection require both antibody and nucleic acid detection.
authors.affiliation: Virus Discovery Group, Abbott Diagnostics Division, Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois 60064, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Knigge
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Melvin
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Heynen
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Kyrk
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Carrick
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Schlauder
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Surowy
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Dille
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Thiele
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lentino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pachucki
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Mushahwar
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000821:virology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D010949:Plasma; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral