title: GBV-C RNA presence in several high-risk groups of Spain.
abstract: GB virus C subtype (GBV-C) seems to share the same routes of transmission as other parenteral transmitted viruses. We have evaluated the prevalence of GBV-C in 247 patients with potential risk for GBV-C infection and in 91 healthy blood donors. The presence of GBV-C RNA was examined by polymerase chain reaction in serum samples. The 23.6% of parenteral drug users were GBV-C positive, 36.3% of them were also HIV infected. Moreover, 22.5 and 19% of sera from patients with HBV and HCV chronic hepatitis, respectively, but without apparent risk factors seemed GBV-C infected. Finally, the 6% of patients on hemodialysis were also positive. Therefore, these results suggest that GBV-C is transmitted by parenteral routes but other non-parenteral routes shared with HBV or HCV must be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quirós
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piédrola
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Maroto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral