Frequencies of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus genomes and of specific antibodies in German risk and non-risk populations

• Published in: Journal of medical virology Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 218 - 224
• Main Authors: Nübling, C. Micha, Bialleck, Heike, Fürsch, Andreas J., Scharrer, Inge, Schramm, Wolfgang, Seifried, Erhard, Schmidt, Urban, Staszewski, Schlomo, Löwer, Johannes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-11-1997; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Donors; E2-antibodies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Epidemiology; Female; Flaviviridae - genetics; Flaviviridae - immunology; Flaviviridae - isolation & purification; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GBV-C/HGV-PCR; Genome, Viral; Germany - epidemiology; Hemophilia A - virology; Hepatitis Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis Antibodies - immunology; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - blood; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - epidemiology; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - immunology; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - virology; HIV Infections - virology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Prevalence; Renal Dialysis; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; transmission; Viral diseases; Viral Envelope Proteins - immunology; Viral hepatitis; Virology; Europe; Germany; Human; Prevalence; RNA; Antibody; Transmission; Hepatic disease; Serology; Epidemiology; Infection; Polymerase chain reaction; Viral disease; Risk factor; Digestive diseases; Viral hepatitis G; Detection; Hepatitis G virus
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9071(199711)53:3<218::AID-JMV6>3.0.CO;2-B

The prevalence of the new flavivirus GB virus C/hepatitis virus G (GBV‐C/HGV) in different German populations was investigated by detection of viral genomes and anti‐E2 antibodies. While blood donors had an overall prevalence of 10.4% there were increased rates for hemophiliacs (54.7%), hemodialysis patients (30.2%), male homosexuals (30.2%) and intravenous drug users (74.4%). Most GBV‐C/HGV positive samples were either viral genome positive or antibody positive, exclusively. Samples with the rare constellation “positive for both GBV‐C/HGV genome and specific antibody” originated in almost all cases from patients who were additionally infected with HIV or HCV. Probable transmission of GBV‐C/HGV by PCR‐positive blood transfusions was observed in 5 of 6 cases approximately six months after transfusion. J. Med. Virol. 53:218–224, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.