Prevalence of hepatitis G virus RNA in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-positive intravenous drug users.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of the new human flavivirus hepatitis G virus (HGV) in Italian intravenous drug users (IDUs) and its interaction with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV).


METHODS
Seventy-nine IDUs with different clinical stages of HIV-1 infection and 20 non-IDU patients with chronic HCV infection were included in the study. HGV RNA was detected by means of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) used for the amplification of two HGV-related sequences included in the 5'-noncoding (NCR) and NS5a regions.


RESULTS
Eighteen (22.8%) of the 79 IDUs were positive for plasma HGV RNA; there was no difference in mean serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels between the HGV-positive and HGV-negative patients. No significant correlation was observed between HGV and other viral markers (hepatitis B virus [HBV], HCV, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II [HTLV-II]) or HCV genotype. The number of patients with symptomatic HIV-1 infection in whom HGV RNA was detected was significantly lower than the number of those who were asymptomatic (6 of 49 [12.2%] versus 12 of 30 [40%]; P = 0.004). The mean plasma HGV RNA titer was higher in the asymptomatic than in the symptomatic patients (4.6 versus 3.2 log PCR-amplified units in 1 mL of plasma sample [PU/mL]; P = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show a considerable spread of HGV levels among Italian HIV-1-positive IDUs and do not indicate that HGV infection enhances liver impairment. We suggest that the greater prevalence of HGV RNA in IDUs with asymptomatic HIV-1 infection may reflect the relatively recent HGV infection in this population.
Zehender
G
G
Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Milan, Italy. zehender@imiucca.csi.unimi.it
De Maddalena
C
C
Bosisio
A B
AB
Gianotto
M
M
Santambrogio
S
S
Moroni
M
M
Galli
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase