title: Profiles of GBV-C/hepatitis G virus markers in patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus.
abstract: GBV-C/Hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) is a newly discovered viral agent, found widely among healthy blood donors and among individuals at risk of parenterally transmitted infections. GBV-C/HGV is found frequently in coinfection with HCV. A population of 109 HCV positive patients was examined for the presence of GBV-C/HGV RNA and antibodies to E2. Of the 109 patients, 23 (21%) had serum GBV-C/HGV RNA in serum, 39 (36%) had only antibodies to E2 and 8 (7%) were positive for both markers, with an overall prevalence of 64%. Different serologic and virological patterns were observed in GBV-C/HGV exposed patients according to their infection status. Active infection was characterized by positive RT/PCR signal with primers for both the 5'UTR and NS5 genomic regions, viremia levels above 10(4) copies/mL by real time quantitative RT/PCR and absence of detectable anti-E2. In the transition phase between active infection and recovery, GBV-C/HGV RNA was only detectable by RT/PCR using primers from the 5' untranslated region and viremia levels were below 10(4) copies/ml by quantitative PCR, with or without simultaneous presence of anti-E2 antibodies. Resolved infection was characterized by absence of detectable viremia and, in most patients, by the presence of anti-E2.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sauleda
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Reesink
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guardia
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins