title: Prevalence and genotypes of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) and hepatitis C virus among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus: evidence of GBV-C/HGV sexual transmission.
abstract: The development of new antiretroviral agents may improve survival of HIV-infected individuals, and therefore chronic viral hepatitis may become more relevant in these patients. The presence of GBV-C/HGV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA were investigated by reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction in plasma from 168 Spanish HIV-infected patients belonging to four different risk groups: intravenous drug users (IVDUs), hemophiliacs, homosexuals, and heterosexuals. GBV-C/HGV-RNA and HCV-RNA were detected in 18% and 43% of the patients, respectively. The prevalence of current infection with these viruses was notably high, 19% for GBV-C/HGV and 69% for HCV, among individuals with parenteral risk of infection (intravenous drug abusers and hemophiliacs), but sexual transmission with GBV-C/HGV was also suggested because 16.5% of patients with sexual risk, either homosexual or heterosexual, had GBV-C/HGV-RNA in plasma. Although investigation of GBV-C/HGV-RNA possibly underestimates the actual prevalence of infection with GBV-C/HGV, the above data suggest that sexual contact may play a relevant role in the spread of this virus. Phylogenetic analysis showed no evidence for clustering of NS3 sequences into different genotypes or subtypes of GBV-C/HGV.
authors.affiliation: Fundació IRSI-CAIXA, Laboratori de Retrovirologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giménez-Barcons
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tajahuerce
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tural
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sirera
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clotet
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Tapias
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodés
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Saiz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral