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High prevalence of hepatitis G viremia among kidney transplant patients in Thailand
Author(s) -
Raengsakulrach Boonyos,
Ongajyooth Leena,
Thaiprasert Thanarak,
Nilwarangkur Sanga,
Ongajyooth Sompong,
Narupiti Sumitda,
Thirawuth Vipa,
Klungthong Chonticha,
Snitbhan Rapin,
Vaughn David W.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(199710)53:2<162::aid-jmv9>3.0.co;2-7
Subject(s) - viremia , virology , aspartate transaminase , alanine transaminase , medicine , hepatitis c virus , virus , reverse transcriptase , viral disease , flaviviridae , gb virus c , hepatitis , polymerase chain reaction , biology , alkaline phosphatase , gastroenterology , enzyme , gene , genetics , biochemistry
Patients receiving kidney transplants (KT) are at high risk for blood borne viral infections. To determine the prevalence of a recently discovered hepatitis G virus (HGV) in this patient group, reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) employing primers derived from the NS5 region of the viral genome was utilized. HGV RNA was detected in 40 of 94 KT patients (43%), as compared to 3 of 69 healthy subjects (4.3%). Cocirculation of HGV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA was detected in 12 patients (13%). Comparison of patients with and without HGV revealed that the former had received hemodialysis before transplantation for a significantly longer duration than the latter (28 vs. 17 months, respectively; P < 0.05). The amount of blood transfused and mean levels of liver enzymes, including alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase, were the same in both groups. Sequence analysis of 275‐base pair DNA clones obtained from 2 patients revealed approximately 92% sequence homology to the published HGV and GB virus C sequences. These results suggested that HGV infection among Thai KT patients was high and the role of HGV in causing liver disease remains to be determined. J. Med. Virol. 53:162–166, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.