Prevalence patterns and genotypes of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus among imprisoned intravenous drug users.
An RT-PCR assay using primers from the 5'-UTR of the GBV-C/HGV genome was used to detect viremia, and a serological assay was used to detect past exposure to GBV-C/HGV, in sera from 106 imprisoned Greek intravenous drug users. High seroprevalence rates indicative of the parenteral route of transmission of the virus were found (32.1% for GBV-C RNA and 46.2% for anti-GBV-C E2). These rates were nonetheless lower in comparison to the corresponding rates of HCV infection markers (64.2% for HCV RNA and 77.4% for anti-HCV). Statistically significant univariate associations were observed between GBV-C-RNA positivity and younger age (P=0.006) and HCV-RNA positivity (P=0.024), as well as with higher serum alanine aminotransferase levels (P< 0.001); this latter association was shown to be independent of coinfection with HCV and of age by a multiple logistic regression model. Apparently, GBV-C/HGV had spread readily by needle-sharing in prison, while causing acute subclinical hepatitis in infected inmates. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial 5'-UTR of the GBV-C/HGV genome from 16 seropositive individuals, which delineated their grouping within genotype 2, also revealed a close genetic relationship between two sets of sequences from 4 drug addicts, 3 of whom admitted to sharing needles while imprisoned.
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Athens University Medical School, Goudi, Greece.
C G
CG
Anastassopoulou
D
D
Paraskevis
V
V
Sypsa
M
M
Psichogiou
A
A
Katsoulidou
N
N
Tassopoulos
A
A
Skoutelis
M
M
Malliori
A
A
Hatzakis
D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005838:Genotype; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*
D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase