title: GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection in dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients in Central Brazil.
abstract: In order to investigate the prevalence of GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients in Central Brazil and also to analyze the virus genotypes distribution, a total of 123 patients including 98 on hemodialysis, 13 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis treatment, and 12 who received kidney transplantation were interviewed in one unit of dialysis treatment in Goiania city. Blood samples were collected and serum samples tested for GBV-C/HGV RNA by polymerase chain reaction. Genotypes were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Eighteen samples were GBV-C/HGV RNA-positive, resulting in an overall prevalence of 14.6% (95% CI: 9.2-21.7). A high positivity for GBV-C/HGV RNA was observed in patients who had received kidney transplant (16.7%), followed by those on hemodialysis (15.3%), and peritoneal dialysis (7.7%). RFLP analysis revealed the presence of genotypes 1, 2, and 3 of GBV-C/HGV; more precisely, 9 (50%) samples were found belonging to the 2b subtype, 4 (22%) to the 2a subtype, 3 (17%) to genotype 1, and 2 (11%) to genotype 3. The present data indicate an intermediate prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection among dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients in Central Brazil. Genotype 2 (subtype 2b) seems to be the most prevalent GBV-C/HGV genotype in our region.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Caixa Postal 131, 74605-050 Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramos Filho
authors.forename: Megmar A S
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Sheila A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Teles
authors.forename: Márcia A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Divina D P
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lampe
authors.forename: Clara F T
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Regina M B
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D029407:GB virus C / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral