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Status and natural course of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection among high‐risk groups and volunteer blood donors in Taiwan
Author(s) -
Yu MingLung,
Chuang WanLong,
Wang LiangYen,
Dai ChiaYen,
Chiou ShyhShin,
Sung MingHsing,
Chang ChaoSung,
Chen ShinnCherng,
Wang ChingShan,
Chang TaiTsung,
Chang WenYu
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1746.2000.02359.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gb virus c , seroconversion , uremia , hepatitis c virus , blood transfusion , gastroenterology , virus , thalassemia , virology , immunology , flaviviridae
Background Hemophilia, thalassemia and uremia patients are at risk of parenterally transmitted infectious agents. The status and nature of the course of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV‐C/HGV) infection among these groups and blood donors in Taiwan was investigated. Methods Serum GBV‐C HGV‐RNA and antibodies to GBV‐C/HGV envelope‐2‐protein (anti‐E2) were determined in 500 blood donors and in 44 hemophilia, 37 thalassemia and 85 uremia patients. Phylogenetic analysis was performed. Results The prevalence of GBV‐C/HGV‐RNA and anti‐E2, respectively, was 38.6 and 27.3% in hemophilia patients, 27.0 and 27.3% in thalassemia patients, 14.1 and 10.6% in uremia patients and 3.4 and 7.2% in blood donors. The prevalence of GBV‐C HGV exposure was 59.1 and 51.4% in hemophilia and thalassemia patients, respectively, which was significantly higher than that for uremia patients (22.4%; P < 0.01) and blood donors (10.2%; P < 0.001). The anti‐E2 seroconversion rate was 66.7% in blood donors and 47.4, 36.8 and 34.6% in thalassemia, uremia ( P < 0.05 compared with blood donors) and hemophilia ( P < 0.01 compared with blood donors) patients, respectively. Discrepancies in the prevalence of GBV‐C HGV and hepatitis C virus infection were found among the three risk groups. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 51 of 56 GBV‐C HGV isolates clustered in group 3; the remaining five were of group 2a. Twelve of 39 viremic patients in the risk groups cleared the virus during the 4 year follow‐up period; seven developed concomitant anti‐E2 reactivity. Conclusions GB virus C hepatitis G virus infection is epidemic among risk groups and GBV‐C HGV group 3 is the major strain in Taiwan. In the risk groups, approximately 18% of infections resolve with concomitant anti‐E2 seroconversion within 4 years.