High prevalence of GBV-C hepatitis G virus infection in a rural South African population

✍ Scribed by Tucker, Timothy J.; Louw, Stephen J.; Robson, Simon C.; Isaacs, Sedick; Kirsch, Ralph E.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 35 KB
• Volume: 53
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(199711)53:3<225::aid-jmv7>3.0.co;2-a

✦ Synopsis

A novel virus, GBV-C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/ HGV), has been cloned and characterised recently. GBV-C/HGV global epidemiology and risk factors for acquisition are currently unclear. We aimed to establish the determinants of this infection in a rural South African (SA) population. The study population included two samples, namely a community-based sample, and consenting persons from a nonspecialist outpatient department in the same district. A questionnaire regarding demographic details and putative risk factors was administered; blood samples were taken on which a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for both 5ЈNCR and NS5a regions of GBV-C/HGV using commercially available primers and probes. Two hundred and forty-nine people were studied with a mean GBV-C/HGV prevalence of 10.4%. Outpatient department and community prevalences differed significantly (18.0% and 6.3%, respectively, P = 0.004). GBV-C/HGV infection was associated with excessive alcohol consumption (P = 0.02; OR, 4.18) and a lack of waterborne sewerage (P = 0.04). PCR amplification of the NS5a region of all but two South African GBV-C/HGV positive samples showed poor reactivity. The prevalence of GBV-C/HGV in rural SA appears to be higher than that reported from Europe and North America. Infection appeared to be associated with excess alcohol intake and a history of previous blood transfusions. The discrepant NS5a and 5ЈNCR PCR sensitivity in this study raises the possibility of genetic differences in southern