title: Prevalence of Hepatitis G Virus Among Hemodialysis and Kidney Transplant Patients in Khuzestan Province, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a member of Flaviviridae. Prevalence of HGV in healthy people is very low, but this virus is more prevalent in patients with hepatitis. Besides, relative frequency of HGV in patients undergoing hemodialysis, and kidney recipients is very high. The role of HGV in pathogenesis is not clear. Since this virus cannot be cultivated, molecular techniques such as Revers Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) is applied to detect HGV.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HGV using determination of E2, viral envelope antigen, antibodies and the RNA by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and RT-PCR techniques. The rational of the study was to determine the prevalence of HGV in patients undergoing hemodialysis and kidney transplantation in Khuzestan province, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred and sixteen serum samples of the patients undergoing hemodialysis and kidney transplantation from various cities of Khuzestan province were collected. Anti-hepatitis G E2 antibodies were investigated by ELISA method. RNAs were extracted from serums and Hepatitis G RNA was detected by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 516 samples, 38 (7.36%) specimens were positive for anti-HGV by ELISA. All of these ELISA positive samples were negative for HGV genome by RT-PCR. Of the remaining 478 ELISA negative samples, 16 (3.14%) samples were positive by RT-PCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatitis G Virus was not prevalent in the patients undergoing hemodialysis and kidney transplantation in Khuzestan province. Although reports indicated high frequency of co-infection of HGV with hepatitis B and C viruses, in the current research, co-infection of HGV with B and C was not considerable. Since different groups and subtypes of HGV are reported, periodic epidemiologic evaluation of HGV and its co-infection with other hepatitis viruses is suggested in other populations such as the patients with thalassemia; however, periodic epidemiologic monitoring of HGV may be helpful to control future potential variations of the virus.
authors.affiliation: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Samarbaf-Zadeh
authors.affiliation: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Manochehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makvandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamadi
authors.affiliation: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Allied Health Sciences School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Gholam Abbas
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kaydani
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abdorrahim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Absalan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Parviz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Afrough
authors.affiliation: Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jahangir
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Naft Grand Hospital, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saeidimehr
keywords: Ahvaz; GB virus C; Hemoglobin; Kidney Transplantation; Renal Dialysis