The serological and molecular epidemiology of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection in a hepatitis C and B endemic area.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the serological and molecular characteristics of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) infection in the hepatitis C virus (HCV)/hepatitis B virus (HBV)-endemic areas in Taiwan.


METHODS
Sera from 200 residents from Masago, an HCV/HBV-endemic community in Taiwan, and 400 blood donors were tested for GBV-C/HGV RNA by using nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and for antibodies to GBV-C/HGV E2-protein (anti-E2) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Phylogenetic analysis of GBV-C/HGV was performed.


RESULTS
The prevalence of GBV-C/HGV viraemia, anti-E2 and GBV-C/HGV exposure among residents of Masago was significantly higher than that among donors (17.0%, 25.5% and 39.5% vs. 3.3%, 7.5% and 10.3%, respectively; all P < 0.0001). In Masago, the prevalence of GBV-C/HGV exposure was significantly higher in residents exposed to HCV than in those without HCV exposure (45.8% vs. 24.1%;P< 0.005). Based on multivariate analyses, HCV viraemia was the only significant factor associated with elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase in Masago. Phylogenetic analysis showed all 34 GBV-C/HGV isolates from Masago clustered within genotype 3.


CONCLUSIONS
GBV-C/HGV was highly prevalent in Masago, an HCV/HBV-endemic community in Taiwan. HCV viraemia played the most important clinical hepatopathic role in the area. Infections with other hepatitis viruses did not influence the anti-E2 seroconversion from GBV-C/HGV infections.
Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
M L
ML
Yu
W L
WL
Chuang
C Y
CY
Dai
S N
SN
Lu
J H
JH
Wang
J F
JF
Huang
S C
SC
Chen
Z Y
ZY
Lin
M Y
MY
Hsieh
J F
JF
Tsai
L Y
LY
Wang
W Y
WY
Chang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase