title: Prevalence and genetic variants of hepatitis GB-C/HG and TT viruses in Gabon, equatorial Africa.
abstract: The distribution of Hepatitis GB-C/HG (GB-C/HG) and TT viruses (TTV) infections was investigated in selected populations from Gabon using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for anti-Envelop 2 (anti-E2) GBV-C/HGV antibodies. Among pregnant women, 29 of 229 (12.6%) were Hepatitis GB virus-C and Hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) RNA positive (+) and 32 of 81 (39.5%) anti-E2 + versus 8 of 39 (20.5%) TTV DNA +. Among sickle cell anemia patients, 9.7% (3/31) were GBV-C/HGV RNA + versus 22.5% (7/31) TTV DNA +. For tuberculosis patients, the figures were 11.5% (4/35) and 0%. A study of hepatocellular carcinoma cases (n = 27) versus controls (n = 66) did not show significant differences for GBV-C/HGV RNA (10.7% versus 12.1%) and TTV DNA (44.4% versus 30.3%). According to phylogenetic analysis, the 15 GBV-C/HGV strains investigated clustered in group 1, the most common in sub-Saharan Africa whereas TTV sequences (n = 4) mostly clustered in genotypes G1 and one close to genotype G3. In the Gabonese populations investigated, GBV-C/HGV and TTV infections were highly endemic. These data are consistent with the low pathogenicity of these agents.
authors.affiliation: National Reference Center on Viral Hepatitis, Necker University and Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tuveri
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Perret
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delaporte
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nguemby-Mbina
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: D'Allones
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henzel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Faivre
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scarpa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Contu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thiers
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bréchot
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larouze
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000821:virology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000821:virology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C107619:glycoprotein E2, GB virus C