GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
BACKGROUND
GB virus C or hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) can be transmitted parenterally, very likely sharing common routes of transmission with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Patients on maintenance haemodialysis have been shown to be at increased risk of the novel GBV-C/HGV infection. Whether continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) can reduce the risk of GBV-C/HGV infection as demonstrated for HCV remains unknown.


METHODS
Serum GBV-C/HGV RNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with nested primers derived from the 5'-untranslated region (5' UTR) of the viral genome. We investigated the prevalence of GBV-C/HGV viraemia in 60 patients on CAPD and the possible routes of transmission. One hundred healthy adults were selected as controls.


RESULTS
The prevalence of GBV-C/HGV viraemia in CAPD patients was 23.3%, compared with 1% of healthy adults (P<0.05). Compared with patients without hepatitis B virus (HBV), HCV or GBV-C/HGV infection (n=39), those with GBV-C/HGV infection alone (n=11) have received more blood transfusions (mean 18.9 units vs 6.8 units, P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the viraemic and nonviraemic groups with respect to age, gender, duration of CAPD, duration of previous haemodialysis, previous history of surgery and co-infection with HBV or HCV. Three of the 11 (27.3%) patients with GBV-C/HGV infection alone had elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, and the frequency was significantly higher than that of patients negative for the viraemia (0%, P<0.05). In addition, the mean serum ALT level was also higher in the group with GBV-C/HGV infection compared with those without HBV, HCV and GBV-C/HGV infections (22.3+/-16.9 U/l vs 14.0+/-6.8 U/l, P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients on CAPD are at increased risk of GBV-C/HGV infection, and the risk parallels the number of previously transfused units of blood.
Huang
C H
CH
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei.
Kao
J H
JH
Kuo
Y M
YM
Tsai
T J
TJ
Hung
K Y
KY
Chen
D S
DS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory; D015995:Prevalence; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D000410:Alanine Transaminase