The Prevalence of Hepatitis G Virus by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction

Kim, Kyung Dong; Cho, Hee Soon; Moon, Jin Young; Lee, Chae Hoon

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis G virus(HGV) is known to be associated with non-A-E hepatitis but pathogenic relevance and mode of transmission are still unclear. In this study, we analyzed the prevalence and clinical implicati ons of HGV infection in patients on hemodialysis or being treated for hematologic disease, and healthy controls.
METHODS
HGV RNA was identified in serum by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) with nested primers deduced from highly conserved area of the 5'-untranslated region. Other parenterally transmissible hepatitis viral markers(HBsAg and anti-HCV) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT), history of transfusion, duration of hemodialysis were assessed.
RESULTS
HGV RNA was detected in 12.5%(8 of 64) of the patients on hemodialysis and in 24.1%(14 of 58) of the patients treated for hematologic disease, as compared with 0.8%(1 of 120) of healthy controls(P<0.05). HBsAg, anti-HCV, ALT level, rate of transfusion history and duration of hemodialysis were not significantly different between HGV-infected patients and non-HGV-infected patients. In patients treated for hematologic disease, sex was significantly different between HGV positive and negative groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients on hemodialysis and being treated for hematologic disease have increased risk for HGV infection, but there was no clinical difference between HGV RNA positive and negative groups. HGV infection itself does not seem to be a frequent cause of liver disease in these patients. The clinical significance of long-term infection with HGV remains to be established.