Prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics of hepatitis G virus/GB virus C infection in Scottish blood donors.
The prevalence, incidence, clinical features, and natural history of hepatitis G virus (HGV) or GB virus C (GBV-C) were investigated in a non-remunerated blood donor population to determine its clinical significance and its impact on blood safety. Of 1020 regular blood donors, 23 (2.25%) were positive for plasma HGV/GBV-C RNA. Alanine aminotransferase levels were lower than in uninfected donors (median, 20 IU/mL; 32 IU/mL in controls; P=.015). Clinical examination produced no other evidence for hepatitis or for shared nonhepatic diseases. Fifteen of 17 donors excreted HGV/GBV-C in saliva (mean level, 8x103 copies of RNA/mL). Testing of previous donations indicated an incidence of 170-200 new infections with HGV/GBV-C per 100,000 donor-years. The absence of further clinicopathologic data and the limitations of current polymerase chain reaction-based methods for screening suggests that it is neither necessary nor practical to commence screening.
Blair
C S
CS
Departments of Medicine, and Medical Microbiology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Davidson
F
F
Lycett
C
C
McDonald
D M
DM
Haydon
G H
GH
Yap
P L
PL
Hayes
P C
PC
Simmonds
P
P
Gillon
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D012449:Safety; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology
D012367:RNA, Viral