title: Antibodies to the E2 protein of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus: low prevalence in Asian countries.
abstract: Epidemiological investigations of GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV), an infectious agent discovered in 1995/1996, are facilitated by a recently developed immunoassay for the detection of antibodies to the viral envelope 2 protein (anti-E2). We used this assay to establish GBV-C/HGV prevalence in seven European, African, and Asian countries. A total of 1579 serum samples from healthy adults lacking prior exposure to known parenteral risk factors was screened. Anti-E2 positivity ranged from 13.6% (Italy) to 7.7% (Mauritius) in the European and African countries investigated. Anti-E2 prevalence was exceedingly low in the Philippines and Sri Lanka. This observation might be attributable to socio-economical and demographic factors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Essen, Germany. stefan.ross@uni-essen.de
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viazov
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Da Villa
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tacke
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ofenloch-Haehnle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roggendorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C107619:glycoprotein E2, GB virus C