Significance of antibodies to the recombinant E2 protein of hepatitis G virus in haemodialysis patients.
Patients on maintenance haemodialysis represent a high-risk group for parenterally transmitted viral infections, such as hepatitis B, C and G. In addition to hepatitis G virus (HGV) (GBV-C) RNA, analysed in previous studies, we characterized the seroprevalence rates of antibodies to the putative E2 protein (anti-E2) of HGV in a German cohort of patients on maintenance dialysis (n = 72) in comparison to healthy blood donors (n = 100). The presence of anti-E2 and/or HGV RNA as indicators of present or past HGV infection could be demonstrated in 34.7% of patients and in 16% of the blood donors (P < 0.01). The infection rates with HGV seem to increase only during the first 6 years of haemodialysis. The simultaneous presence of viraemia and anti-E2 was found very rarely in patients and controls. Therefore, the emergence of anti-E2 indicates clearance of HGV viraemia. In conclusion, patients on haemodialysis are at high risk of acquiring HGV infection, but a chronic carrier state with viraemia is rare. The risk of infection is not strictly correlated with the duration of dialysis.
Schulte-Frohlinde
E
E
II. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Technical University of Munich, Germany.
Schmolke
S
S
Reindl
W
W
Schätzle
G
G
Scherf
J
J
Kopp
K F
KF
Classen
M
M
Schlüter
V
V
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C107619:glycoprotein E2, GB virus C