Prevalence of Hepatitis G Virus Among Intravenous Drug Abusers in Los Angeles

Fong, Tse‐Ling; Lee, Stephen R.; Kim, Jungsuh P.; Yun, Andessen J.; Zheng, Jian; Peterson, Julie A.; Kochesky, Richard; Botla, Ravi; Geller, Stephen A.; Redeker, Allan G.

doi:10.1086/516897

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…HGV viraemia was, as also shown elsewhere, much more frequent in IVDUs than in blood donors [31][32][33][34]. A large proportion of the IVDUs who were not viraemic showed signs of past HGV infection, as demonstrated by the presence of antibodies to HGV.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Hepatitis G virus infections in Iceland

Löve

Stanzeit

Guðmundsson

et al. 1999

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

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This study describes the prevalence of hepatitisG virus (HGV) in Iceland, in blood donors and in persons with parenteral risk factors. Among 370 randomly selected Icelandic blood donors, the prevalence of HGV viraemia was 3.8%, whereas the prevalence of HGV antibodies in the same donor group was found to be 13.2%, thus indicating that at least 17% of blood donors in Iceland had previously been exposed to HGV. Previous exposure was seen in all age groups and also in older blood donors. Among intravenous drug users (IVDUs), the prevalence of HGV was much higher. Among 109 hepatitisC virus (HCV) antibody-positive serum samples collected in the years 1992-1997, 33. 9% were polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive for HGV and 48.6% had HGV antibodies. Thus, the pattern of HGV in IVDUs was similar to findings among IVDUs in other western countries. HGV viraemia was detected neither in 10 patients with haemophilia nor in five dialysis patients. However, six of the 10 haemophilic patients and one of the five dialysis patients had HGV antibody. In conclusion, unlike hepatitis C, which seems to have been introduced into Iceland relatively recently and has remained virtually confined to IVDUs, exposure to HGV is common among all age groups in the general population, suggesting that the virus has been prevalent in Iceland for much longer, making additional routes of transmission probable.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Hepatitis G virus infections in Iceland

Löve

Stanzeit

Guðmundsson

et al. 1999

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

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“…GBV-C/HGV prevalence is linked, as shown in several studies, to sexual and parenteral exposures: detection of GBV-C/HGV RNA in 11% and 13.4% of homoand bisexual men [Stark et al, 1996;Rubio et al, 1997], 13.9% of female prostitutes [Rubio et al, 1997], 5/23 (21.7%) of heterosexual partners of GBV-C/HGVinfected individuals [Rubio et al, 1997]; GBV-C/HGV RNA prevalence of 3.1% to 55% in dialysis patients [Masuko et al, 1996;Tsuda et al, 1996;Feucht et al, 1997b;Lampe et al, 1997;Ross et al, 1998], 14% to 35.2% in hemophiliacs [Linnen et al, 1996;Jarvis et al, 1996;Feucht et al, 1997b;Kinoshita et al, 1997], 10% to 48% in transfusion recipients [Linnen et al, 1996;Alter HJ et al, 1997;Feucht et al, 1997b;Sampietro et al, 1997;Skidmore et al, 1997], including thalassemia major patients [Sampietro et al, 1997] and bone marrow transplant recipients and patients with acute leukemia [Skidmore et al, 1997], 9.7% to 49% in intravenous drug users Linnen et al, 1996;Schreier et al, 1996;Stark et al, 1996; Feucht et al, 1997b;Fong et al, 1997;Thomas et al, 1997]. Interestingly, a lower prevalence of GBV-C/HGV RNA was found in older patients (>50 years) by the chi-square test; however, this difference disappeared in the multivariate analysis, suggesting the role of other factors in the results of the univariate analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, many epidemiological studies have been undertaken, usually by serum RNA detection, showing a high prevalence of this virus in humans: 0.8-13% in blood donors Linnen et al, 1996;Stark et al, 1996;Feucht et al, 1997a;Wang and Jin, 1997], much more higher rates in patients with parenteral exposures (intravenous drug users Linnen et al, 1996;Schreier et al, 1996;Stark et al, 1996;Feucht et al, 1997b;Fong et al, 1997;Thomas et al, 1997], transfusion recipients [Linnen et al, 1996;Alter HJ et al, 1997;Feucht et al, 1997b;Sampietro et al, 1997;Skidmore et al, 1997], hemophiliacs [Jarvis et al, 1996;Linnen et al, 1996;Nü bling and Löwer, 1996;Alter HJ et al, 1997;Feucht et al, 1997b;Kinoshita et al, 1997], and patients on chronic hemodialysis [Masuko et al, 1996;Tsuda et al, 1996;Feucht et al, 1997b;Lampe et al, 1997;Ross et al, 1998]). Sexual transmission also occurred [Stark et al, 1996;Rubio et al, 1997], as well as vertical transmission [Feucht et al, 1996;Fischler et al, 1997;Hino et al, 1998].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus RNA in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus

et al. 1999

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Prevalence of GBV-C/HGV was determined in a cohort of HIV-infected patients, via a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction detection of RNA in serum, amplifying the NS5 region of GBV-C/HGV genome. GBV-C/HGV RNA was detected in 143 (37.7%) of 379 patients, with similar results in the different HIV risk groups: 25/56 (44.6%) in intravenous drug users, 66/161 (41%) in homo- and bisexual men, 35/108 (32.4%) in heterosexual patients, 6/20 (30%) in transfusion recipients (P=0.41). There was no difference according to the presence or absence of hepatitis C virus infection. In univariate analysis, GBV-C/HGV genome prevalence was lower in patients over 50 years old (18.2%), compared to other age groups (20-29 years: 34.2%; 30-39 years: 44.3%; 40-49 years: 36.7%, P=0.03), as well as in patients with normal CD4 cell count (29.2% vs. 45.4% between 200-500/mm3, and 35.3% below 200 CD4/mm3, P=0.012) and individuals with a chronic hepatitis B. However, in the multivariate analysis, the only prognostic factor of GBV-C/HGV RNA positivity was the presence of a chronic hepatitis B, compared to the absence of any HBV marker, or a previous exposition to HBV (presence of anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs, absence of HBsAg), or the presence of anti-HBs alone.

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“…It is possible that some GBV-C/HGV-infected donors may have failed to disclose sexual [10]or injection drug use [5]risk behaviors, which have been associated with GBV-C/HGV. Such lack of disclosure has been reported in Canada [20]as elsewhere [21].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This virus is transmitted through transfusion of blood and blood components [1, 3, 4]and is presumed to be transmitted by other parenteral routes, such as injection drug use [5]. Of concern is the fact that multiple studies have found viremia to be relatively common in blood donors who give no history of parenteral exposures [6, 7, 8, 9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of GBV-C/Hepatitis G Virus Viremia and Anti-E2 in Canadian Blood Donors

Giulivi

Slinger

Tepper³

et al. 2000

Vox Sanguinis

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Background and Objectives: GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a recently recognized parenterally and sexually transmitted agent. The prevalence of GBV-C/HGV markers in Canadian blood donors has not been previously studied and was therefore determined. Materials and Methods: Blood donors [identity unlinked (IU), short-term temporarily deferred (STTD) and autologous groups] and donor samples with antibodies to hepatitis C (anti-HCV) or hepatitis B core were tested for GBV-C/HGV RNA and for antibodies to E2 antigen (anti-E2). Results: GBV-C/HGV RNA was found in 1.1% and anti-E2 in 7.3% of the combined IU/STTD donor group. Viremia was much more common in anti-HCV-positive samples (12.5%); anti-E2 was present in >50% of this group. In the STTD group, female gender was significantly associated with viremia. Conclusion: GBV-C/HGV infection is relatively common in Canadian donors, and a small proportion are viremic. The association of female gender and viremia was unexpected. Further study is needed to clarify the epidemiology and natural history of GBV-C/HGV infection.

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Prevalence of Hepatitis G Virus Among Intravenous Drug Abusers in Los Angeles

Cited by 7 publications

References 2 publications

Hepatitis G virus infections in Iceland

Hepatitis G virus infections in Iceland

High prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus RNA in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus

Prevalence of GBV-C/Hepatitis G Virus Viremia and Anti-E2 in Canadian Blood Donors

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