Evidence for extensive genotypic diversity and recombination of GB virus C (GBV-C) in Germany

✍ Scribed by Markus Neibecker; Carolynne Schwarze-Zander; Jürgen K. Rockstroh; Ulrich Spengler; Jason T. Blackard

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 731 KB
• Volume: 83
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.22029

✦ Synopsis

Multiple genotypes of GB virus C (GBV-C)-a non-pathogenic flavivirus-have been identified to date, although they are not uniformly distributed worldwide. It has also been suggested that GBV-C genotype may play a role in modulating HIV disease; however, the prevalence and genotype distribution of GBV-C has not been adequately studied in most countries. Among 408 HIV positive subjects in Germany, 97 (23.8%) had detectable GBV-C RNA. Based on sequencing of the 5 0 untranslated region (5 0 -UTR), the GBV-C genotypes were 1 (n ¼ 8; 8.2%), 2 (n ¼ 81; 83.5%), and 3 (n ¼ 2; 2.1%), as well as a unique genotype not previously reported (n ¼ 6; 6.2%). Among 17 samples also sequenced in the envelope 2 (E2) region, 14 had concordant genotype results when comparing the 5 0 -UTR and E2, while evidence of intergenotypic recombination was observed among E2 sequences from 3 individuals. These results suggest that genotypic diversity and viral recombination contribute to the overall genetic variability of GBV-C.