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Epidemiological and quantitative study of GBV‐C infection in french polytransfused children
Author(s) -
Castelain S.,
Francois C.,
Bonte D.,
Baron A.,
Horle B.,
Morel V.,
Pautard B.,
Duverlie Gilles
Publication year - 2004
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/jmv.20131
Subject(s) - taqman , genotype , virology , viral load , polymerase chain reaction , biology , gb virus c , untranslated region , virus , real time polymerase chain reaction , rna , flaviviridae , viral disease , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , genetics
From 1999 to 2002, 246 serum samples taken from polytransfused children were tested for the presence of GB virus C (GBV‐C) RNA using a real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assay. This assay was based on the TaqMan technology and allowed viral load determination in infected children with a dynamic range from 10 3 to 10 7 genome equivalent (gEq) copies/ml. The limit of detection was estimated to 619 gEq copies/ml with a ≥95% probability of a positive result. Thirty five sera were found to be GBV‐C RNA positive, corresponding to a prevalence of GBV‐C of 14.2%. The mean viral load was high, i.e., 6 ± 1.4 log (range 3.22–7.42) gEq copies/ml, but low viral loads were also detected. Sequencing of the 5′‐untranslated region (UTR) identified a majority of genotype 2 strains (82%) distributed into two subtypes, 88.5% genotype 2a and 11.5% genotype 2b. In conclusion, GBV‐C active infection is very frequent in exposed populations such as polytransfused children. GBV‐C RNA quantitation using real‐time assay may be useful for diagnosis and follow‐up of the natural history of GBV‐C infection. J. Med. Virol. 73:596–600, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.