Prevalence and correlates of GB virus C infection in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected pregnant women in Bangkok, Thailand

✍ Scribed by Wendy Bhanich Supapol; Robert S. Remis; Janet Raboud; Margaret Millson; Jordan Tappero; Rupert Kaul; Prasad Kulkarni; Michelle S. McConnell; A. Mock Philip; Janet M. McNicholl; Anuvat Roongpisuthipong; Tawee Chotpitayasunondh; Nathan Shaffer; Salvatore Butera

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 119 KB
• Volume: 83
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21946

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

GB virus C (GBV‐C) is an apathogenic virus that has been shown to inhibit HIV replication. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of GBV‐C infection and clearance in three cohorts of pregnant women in Thailand. The study population consisted of 1,719 (1,387 HIV‐infected and 332 HIV‐uninfected) women from three Bangkok perinatal HIV transmission studies. Stored blood was tested for GBV‐C RNA, GBV‐C antibody, and if RNA‐positive, genotype. Risk factors associated with the prevalence of GBV‐C infection (defined as presence of GBV‐C RNA and/or antibody) and viral clearance (defined as presence of GBV‐C antibody in the absence of RNA) among women with GBV‐C infection were examined using multiple logistic regression. The prevalence of GBV‐C infection was 33% among HIV‐infected women and 15% among HIV‐uninfected women. GBV‐C infection was independently associated (AOR, 95% CI) with an increasing number of lifetime sexual partners (referent—1 partner, 2 partners [1.60, 1.22–2.08], 3–10 partners [1.92, 1.39–2.67], >10 partners [2.19, 1.33–3.62]); injection drug use (5.50, 2.12–14.2); and HIV infection (3.79, 2.58–5.59). Clearance of GBV‐C RNA among women with evidence of GBV‐C infection was independently associated with increasing age in years (referent <20, 20–29 [2.01, 1.06–3.79] and ≥30 [3.18, 1.53–6.60]), more than 10 lifetime sexual partners (3.05, 1.38–6.75), and HIV infection (0.29, 0.14–0.59). This study found that GBV‐C infection is a common infection among Thai women and is associated with HIV infection and both sexual and parenteral risk behaviors. J. Med. Virol. 83:33–44, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.