Prevalence and genotypes of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) and hepatitis C virus among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus: Evidence of GBV-C/HGV sexual transmission

✍ Scribed by Ibáñez, Angela; Giménez-Barcons, Mireia; Tajahuerce, Angel; Tural, Cristina; Sirera, Guillem; Clotet, Bonaventura; Sánchez-Tapias, José-María; Rodés, Juan; Martínez, Miguel-Angel; Saiz, Juan-Carlos

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 83 KB
• Volume: 55
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(199808)55:4<293::aid-jmv7>3.0.co;2-w

✦ Synopsis

The development of new antiretroviral agents may improve survival of HIV-infected individuals, and therefore chronic viral hepatitis may become more relevant in these patients. The presence of GBV-C/HGV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA were investigated by reverse transcriptasenested polymerase chain reaction in plasma from 168 Spanish HIV-infected patients belonging to four different risk groups: intravenous drug users (IVDUs), hemophiliacs, homosexuals, and heterosexuals. GBV-C/HGV-RNA and HCV-RNA were detected in 18% and 43% of the patients, respectively. The prevalence of current infection with these viruses was notably high, 19% for GBV-C/HGV and 69% for HCV, among individuals with parenteral risk of infection (intravenous drug abusers and hemophiliacs), but sexual transmission with GBV-C/HGV was also suggested because 16.5% of patients with sexual risk, either homosexual or heterosexual, had GBV-C/HGV-RNA in plasma. Although investigation of GBV-C/HGV-RNA possibly underestimates the actual prevalence of infection with GBV-C/HGV, the above data suggest that sexual contact may play a relevant role in the spread of this virus. Phylogenetic analysis showed no evidence for clustering of NS3 sequences into different genotypes or subtypes of GBV-C/HGV.