Prevalence and clinical significance of HGV/GBV-C infection in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C.
Hepatitis G virus/GB virus-C (HGV/GBV-C) is a newly identified Flavivirus. Its clinical significance in chronic hepatitis B and C remains controversial. Infection with HGV/GBV-C was surveyed in 500 blood donors, 130 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 173 with hepatitis C, with chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and/or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HGV/GBV-C RNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. An antibody to HGV/GBV-C's second envelope protein (anti-E2 Ab) was detected using an enzyme immunoassay. The prevalence of HGV/GBV-C RNA was 3.4% and the exposure rate 10.2% in blood donors. The prevalence of HGV/GBV-C RNA in patients with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C was 7.7 and 17.3%, respectively (P = 0.002). The prevalence of the HGV/GBV-C infection in hepatitis B carriers increased with the severity of chronic liver disease and risk of HCC. The age and duration of hepatitis B virus infection were the more important contributing factors. Clinical and virological characteristics were comparable between those with and without coinfection of HGV/GBV-C and hepatitis C. The seroconversion rate was high. Coinfection of HGV/GBV-C with hepatitis B or C does not affect disease severity, but accelerates the progression of chronic liver disease and the development of HCC.
Yang
Jeng-Fu
JF
Department of Preventive Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Dai
Chia-Yen
CY
Chuang
Wan-Long
WL
Lin
Wen-Yi
WY
Lin
Zu-Yau
ZY
Chen
Shinn-Cherng
SC
Hsieh
Ming-Yuh
MY
Wang
Liang-Yen
LY
Tsai
Jung-Fa
JF
Chang
Wen-Yu
WY
Yu
Ming-Lung
ML
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D029407:GB virus C / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005838:Genotype; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral