Lower Hepatitis G Virus Infection Prevalence Compared to Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection Prevalences

Overview

Journal Dig Dis Sci

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2000 Mar 1

PMID 10695634

Citations 1

Authors

N Furusyo

J Hayashi

I Ariyama

Y Sawayama

Y Etoh

S Kashiwagi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To more accurately determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection, we surveyed antibody to HGV (anti-E2) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and HGV RNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 298 residents of a hepatitis C virus (HCV)-endemic area of Japan and in 225 hemodialysis patients. We then compared these findings with known HCV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection prevalences. Anti-E2 and HGV RNA prevalences were 32 (10.7%) and 5 (1.7%) in the residents and 24 (10.7%) and 10 (4.4%) in the hemodialysis patients, respectively. Anti-E2 and HGV RNA concurrence was found in two of the hemodialysis patients. Total HGV marker (anti-E2 and/or HGV RNA) prevalences [37 (12.4%) in residents and 32 (14.2%) in hemodialysis patients], were significantly lower than the prevalences of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) by ELISA [59 (19.8%) and 96 (42.7%)], and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) by radioimmunoassay (RIA) [87 (29.2%) and 101 (44.9%)] (P<0.05). The anti-HCV prevalence in subjects with total HGV marker was significantly higher than in those without total HGV marker. There was no significant difference in anti-HBc prevalence between those with and without total HGV marker. The viremic rate was highest in HCV infection (HCV RNA by PCR/anti-HCV) (83.2%), with HGV infection (HGV RNA/total HGV marker) (21.7%) intermediate, and HBV infection (hepatitis B surface antigen by RIA/anti-HBc) (5.3%) lowest (P<0.05). These findings indicate that HGV infection was less endemic than HCV and HBV. HGV was eliminated naturally more frequently than HCV infection and less frequently than HBV infection.

Citing Articles

TT-virus infection in Japanese general population and in hemodialysis patients.

Furusyo N, Nakashima H, Etoh Y, Kashiwagi S, Hayashi J Dig Dis Sci. 2002; 47(9):1915-20.

PMID: 12353829 DOI: 10.1023/a:1019675502134.

References

Kashiwagi S, Hayashi J, Ikematsu H, Nomura H, Kusaba T, Shingu T . An epidemiologic study of hepatitis B virus in Okinawa and Kyushu, Japan. Am J Epidemiol. 1983; 118(6):787-94. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113696. View

Stark K, Bienzle U, Hess G, ENGEL A, Hegenscheid B, Schluter V . Detection of the hepatitis G virus genome among injecting drug users, homosexual and bisexual men, and blood donors. J Infect Dis. 1996; 174(6):1320-3. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/174.6.1320. View

Zeldis J, Depner T, Kuramoto I, Gish R, Holland P . The prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies among hemodialysis patients. Ann Intern Med. 1990; 112(12):958-60. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-112-12-958. View

Garibaldi R, FORREST J, Bryan J, Hanson B, Dismukes W . Hemodialysis-associated hepatitis. JAMA. 1973; 225(4):384-9. View

Masuko K, Mitsui T, Iwano K, Yamazaki C, Okuda K, Meguro T . Infection with hepatitis GB virus C in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. N Engl J Med. 1996; 334(23):1485-90. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199606063342301. View

Tanaka E, Tacke M, Kobayashi M, Nakatsuji Y, Kiyosawa K, Schmolke S . Past and present hepatitis G virus infections in areas where hepatitis C is highly endemic and those where it is not endemic. J Clin Microbiol. 1998; 36(1):110-4. PMC: 124818. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.36.1.110-114.1998. View

Simons J, Leary T, Dawson G, Muerhoff A, Schlauder G, Desai S . Isolation of novel virus-like sequences associated with human hepatitis. Nat Med. 1995; 1(6):564-9. DOI: 10.1038/nm0695-564. View

Wang Y, Chen H, Fan M, Liu H, An P, Sawada N . Infection with GB virus C and hepatitis C virus in hemodialysis patients and blood donors in Beijing. J Med Virol. 1997; 52(1):26-30. DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(199705)52:1<26::aid-jmv5>3.0.co;2-t. View

Adachi H, Kaneko S, Matsushita E, Inagaki Y, Unoura M, Kobayashi K . Clearance of HBsAg in seven patients with chronic hepatitis B. Hepatology. 1992; 16(6):1334-7. DOI: 10.1002/hep.1840160605. View

10.

Hayashi J, Nakashima K, Kajiyama W, Noguchi A, Morofuji M, Maeda Y . Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus in hemodialysis patients. Am J Epidemiol. 1991; 134(6):651-7. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116137. View

11.

Tribl B, Oesterreicher C, Pohanka E, Sunder-Plassmann G, Petermann D, Muller C . GBV-C/HGV in hemodialysis patients: anti-E2 antibodies and GBV-C/HGV-RNA in serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Kidney Int. 1998; 53(1):212-6. DOI: 10.1046/j.1523-1755.1998.00738.x. View

12.

Hayashi J, Ueno K, Kawakami Y, Kishihara Y, Ariyama I, Furusyo N . Clinical course of chronic hepatitis C virus infection is not influenced by concurrent hepatitis G virus infection. Dig Dis Sci. 1999; 44(3):618-23. DOI: 10.1023/a:1026677912187. View

13.

Feucht H, Zollner B, Polywka S, Laufs R . Vertical transmission of hepatitis G. Lancet. 1996; 347(9001):615-6. View

14.

Hayashi J, Kishihara Y, Yamaji K, Yoshimura E, Kawakami Y, Akazawa K . Transmission of hepatitis C virus by health care workers in a rural area of Japan. Am J Gastroenterol. 1995; 90(5):794-9. View

15.

Tacke M, Kiyosawa K, Stark K, Schlueter V, Hess G, ENGEL A . Detection of antibodies to a putative hepatitis G virus envelope protein. Lancet. 1997; 349(9048):318-20. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(96)06461-6. View

16.

Hayashi J, Yoshimura E, Nabeshima A, Kishihara Y, Ikematsu H, Hirata M . Seroepidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients and the general population in Fukuoka and Okinawa, Japan. J Gastroenterol. 1994; 29(3):276-81. DOI: 10.1007/BF02358365. View

17.

Yamaji K, Hayashi J, Kawakami Y, Yoshimura E, Kishihara Y, Ohmiya M . Long term survey of hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis units in Fukuoka, Japan. J Epidemiol. 1996; 6(4):166-71. DOI: 10.2188/jea.6.166. View

18.

Tacke M, Schmolke S, Schlueter V, Sauleda S, Esteban J, Tanaka E . Humoral immune response to the E2 protein of hepatitis G virus is associated with long-term recovery from infection and reveals a high frequency of hepatitis G virus exposure among healthy blood donors. Hepatology. 1997; 26(6):1626-33. DOI: 10.1002/hep.510260635. View

19.

Yoshiba M, Okamoto H, Mishiro S . Detection of the GBV-C hepatitis virus genome in serum from patients with fulminant hepatitis of unknown aetiology. Lancet. 1995; 346(8983):1131-2. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(95)91802-7. View

20.

London W, Di Figlia M, Sutnick A, Blumberg B . An epidemic of hepatitis in a chronic-hemodialysis unit. Australia antigen and differences in host response. N Engl J Med. 1969; 281(11):571-8. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM196909112811101. View