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High prevalence of GBV‐C hepatitis G virus infection in a rural South African population
Author(s) -
Tucker Timothy J.,
Louw Stephen J.,
Robson Simon C.,
Isaacs Sedick,
Kirsch Ralph E.
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(199711)53:3<225::aid-jmv7>3.0.co;2-a
Subject(s) - virology , hepatitis a virus , population , flaviviridae , virus , medicine , viral disease , biology , environmental health
A novel virus, GBV‐C/hepatitis G virus (GBV‐C/HGV), has been cloned and characterised recently. GBV‐C/HGV global epidemiology and risk factors for acquisition are currently unclear. We aimed to establish the determinants of this infection in a rural South African (SA) population. The study population included two samples, namely a community‐based sample, and consenting persons from a nonspecialist outpatient department in the same district. A questionnaire regarding demographic details and putative risk factors was administered; blood samples were taken on which a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for both 5′NCR and NS5a regions of GBV‐C/HGV using commercially available primers and probes. Two hundred and forty‐nine people were studied with a mean GBV‐C/HGV prevalence of 10.4%. Outpatient department and community prevalences differed significantly (18.0% and 6.3%, respectively, P = 0.004). GBV‐C/HGV infection was associated with excessive alcohol consumption ( P = 0.02; OR, 4.18) and a lack of waterborne sewerage ( P = 0.04). PCR amplification of the NS5a region of all but two South African GBV‐C/HGV positive samples showed poor reactivity. The prevalence of GBV‐C/HGV in rural SA appears to be higher than that reported from Europe and North America. Infection appeared to be associated with excess alcohol intake and a history of previous blood transfusions. The discrepant NS5a and 5′NCR PCR sensitivity in this study raises the possibility of genetic differences in southern African GBV‐C/HGV. J. Med. Virol. 53:225–228, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.