Virus inactivation and prevalence of GBV-C in haemophiliacs.
A new putative hepatitis virus has recently been discovered and termed GB virus C (GBV-C). We investigated the prevalence of this virus among 50 haemophiliacs treated with non-virus-inactivated clotting factor concentrates prior to 1985 and 21 haemophiliacs treated exclusively with virus-inactivated clotting factor concentrates. In the first group the prevalence of GBV-C based on PCR and ELISA was 46%. In the second group the prevalence of GBV-C was similar to that of healthy blood donors (5%). We therefore conclude that GBV-C is reliably inactivated by modern virucidal methods such as vapour heating, pasteurization and treatment with solvent/detergent mixtures.
Uhle
C
C
Kurpfalzkrankenhaus gGmbH and Haemophilia Centre, Heidelberg, Germany.
Zimmermann
R
R
Goeser
T
T
Seelig
R
R
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000821:virology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral