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GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection in hemodialysis patients: Determination of seroprevalence by a four‐antigen recombinant immunoblot assay
Author(s) -
Schröter Matthias,
Feucht HeinzHubert,
Schäfer Peter,
Zöllner Bernhard,
Laufs Rainer
Publication year - 1999
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(199903)57:3<230::aid-jmv3>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - virology , viremia , gb virus c , hepatitis c virus , serology , antibody , recombinant dna , virus , flaviviridae , medicine , seroprevalence , biology , immunology , biochemistry , gene
GB Virus C/Hepatitis G Virus (GBV‐C/HGV) was identified recently and only two assays, consisting of a single recombinant protein, have been described for determination of the seroprevalence of this virus. An immunoblot assay was devised, which contains four recombinant GBV‐C/HGV proteins. In this study, serum samples from 154 patients on maintenance hemodialysis were examined to assess the rate of seroreactivity against GBV‐C/HGV. All sera were tested for the presence of antibodies by an in‐house recombinant immunoblot assay, for GBV‐C/HGV viremia by RT‐PCR, and for HCV infection by PCR and by serological assays. Antibody reactivity against GBV‐C/HGV was detected in 20.8% (n = 32) and viremia was found in 6.5% (n = 10) of the patients. In no case were viremia and GBV‐C/HGV antibodies detected in parallel. HCV infection was observed in 15.6% (n = 24) by RT‐PCR. In 20 of these patients, HCV antibodies were detected by enzyme immuno assay (EIA) and immunoblot assay. However, four of the HCV PCR‐positive patients were negative by both serological tests. Only two patients were viremic for GBV‐C/HGV and HCV in parallel. It is concluded that antibody reactivity against GBV‐C/HGV is common among patients on maintenance hemodialysis. In contrast to HCV, parallel occurrence of GBV‐C/HGV viremia and GBV‐C/HGV seroreactivity was not observed. This suggests that GBV‐C/HGV infection might be self‐limiting. J. Med. Virol. 57:230–234, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.