HEPATITIS-G VIRUS-INFECTION IN NORMAL AND PROSPECTIVELY FOLLOWED POSTTRANSFUSION CHILDREN

A recently identified RNA virus, hepatitis G virus (HGV), has been inv estigated for its role in causing non-A-E hepatitis. The frequency and clinical outcome of HGV infection in children was studied. Two hundre d apparently healthy children aged 6 mo to 12 y, and 90 children who h ad undergone open heart surgery in a prospective study for posttransfu sion hepatitis were included in this study. The serum samples were tes ted for HGV RNA by nested reverse transcription-PCR with primers from the 5'-untranslated region. The HGV RNA viremic rate was found to be 1 % (2/200) in apparently healthy children, 30% in children after open h eart surgery. Among the 90 children, three were HGV-infected before th e surgery. Twenty-four (28%) Of the remaining 87 children tested posit ive for HGV RNA within 6 mo after the surgery. Sixty-five percents of these viremic children eventually became persistently infected at 1 y after surgery. No HGV RNA-positive children exhibited elevated alanine aminotransferase levels during the follow-up period. No coinfections of HGV with the hepatitis C virus or hepatitis B virus were found. Pat ients of younger age appeared mon likely to become chronic carriers. A nti-HCV screening did not reduce the prevalence of HGV infection. In c onclusion, in children with open heart surgery, the risk of transfusio n-transmitted HGV infection and the chronicity rate have been found to be high. Young age is a risk factor of persistent infection.