title: The prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus RNA among healthy and HCV-infected Catalan children.
abstract: GB virus C (GBV-C) is a blood-borne flavivirus. The prevalence of GBV-C viremia among healthy adults is 0.5% to 4% and, to date, no disease has been definitely associated with GBV-C infection. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate GBV-C viremia prevalence in a group of 327 healthy children with normal alanine amino transferase (ALT) levels (Group A) and elevated ALT levels (Group B) of unknown origin, and among 38 pediatric patients with mother-to-child-transmitted hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (Group C). No statistically significant differences were observed between prevalences in Groups A and B (2.2% vs 6.7%, p = 0.06). None of the children in Groups A or B who tested positive for GBV-C RNA showed any clinical symptoms. The prevalence of GBV-C viremia in Group A was lower than for patients in Group C (2.2% vs 13.2%, p = 0.007); no differences were observed in HCV infection characteristics between those patients who were co-infected with GBV-C and those who were not. In conclusion, while GBV-C viremia is more frequent among HCV-infected pediatric patients, it is neither associated with liver disease nor has any influence on HCV-related chronic hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department, Agrupació Sanitària Hospital Clínic, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Claret
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noguera
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Cuevas
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: García-García
authors.forename: Clàudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortuny
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Almagro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D029407:GB virus C / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase