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Infection with hepatitis G virus and its strain variant, the GB agent (GBV‐C), among blood donors in Japan
Author(s) -
Yoshikawa A.,
Fukuda S.,
Itoh K.,
Kosaki N.,
Suzuki T.,
Hirakawa K.,
Nakao H.,
Inoue T.,
Fukuda M.,
Okamoto H.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1997.37697335163.x
Subject(s) - gb virus c , virology , flaviviridae , hepatitis c virus , virus , medicine , hepacivirus , hepatitis , hepatitis c , viral disease
BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to survey the epidemiology of recently reported non‐A through ‐E hepatitis virus designated hepatitis G virus (HGV) and its strain variant, the GB agent (GBV‐C). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Pilot samples from 2461 blood donors in Japan, randomly selected to form cohorts with different levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and markers of hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, were tested for RNA of HGV/GBV‐C by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction with nested primers deduced from the 5′‐noncoding region. RESULTS: HGV/GBV‐C RNA was detected in 23 (7.4%) of the 361 donors with anti‐HCV and HCV RNA. This detection is more frequent than that in donors without elevated ALT levels (< or = 45 U/L) or markers of HCV or hepatitis B virus infection (15/1303; 1.2%) (p < 0.001), donors with ALT values between 46 and 99 U per L (0/108) (p < 0.002), donors with ALT values > or = 100 U per L (5/361; 1.4%), and donors with anti‐HCV but without detectable HCV RNA (1/93; 1.1%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: More than 1 percent of Japanese blood donors were infected with HGV/GBV‐C, and the prevalence was much higher in those with HCV RNA. Should persistent infection with HGV/GBV‐C induce any hepatotoxic sequelae, either alone or in concert with the other hepatitis viruses, screening of blood units for HGV/GBV‐C would deserve consideration.