title: Epidemiological and quantitative study of GBV-C infection in french polytransfused children.
abstract: From 1999 to 2002, 246 serum samples taken from polytransfused children were tested for the presence of GB virus C (GBV-C) RNA using a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. This assay was based on the TaqMan technology and allowed viral load determination in infected children with a dynamic range from 10(3) to 10(7) genome equivalent (gEq) copies/ml. The limit of detection was estimated to 619 gEq copies/ml with a > or = 95% probability of a positive result. Thirty five sera were found to be GBV-C RNA positive, corresponding to a prevalence of GBV-C of 14.2%. The mean viral load was high, i.e., 6 +/- 1.4 log (range 3.22-7.42) gEq copies/ml, but low viral loads were also detected. Sequencing of the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) identified a majority of genotype 2 strains (82%) distributed into two subtypes, 88.5% genotype 2a and 11.5% genotype 2b. In conclusion, GBV-C active infection is very frequent in exposed populations such as polytransfused children. GBV-C RNA quantitation using real-time assay may be useful for diagnosis and follow-up of the natural history of GBV-C infection.
authors.affiliation: Virologie, Centre Hospitalo Universitaire, Amiens, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castelain
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Francois
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Horle
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pautard
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duverlie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D029407:GB virus C / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral