Prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus among blood donors in north-eastern Brazil.
We tested 70 blood donors from Fortaleza (Ceara state, Brazil) for GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV/HGV) infection by polymerase chain reaction and detection of antienvelope antibodies. Twenty-seven (38.6%) showed signs of an active or resolved infection. Sixty-four percent of those with indications of other blood-borne viral infections showed signs of GBV-C/HGV infection also.
Laboratory of Virology, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Bruxelles, Belgium. goubau@mblg.ucl.ac.be
P
P
Goubau
F B
FB
Andrade
H F
HF
Liu
F P
FP
Basilio
L
L
Croonen
V A
VA
Barreto-Gomes
D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral