HEPATITIS-G VIRUS-RNA AND ITS RELATION TO HEPATITIS-C INFECTION IN ADULT HEMOPHILIC PATIENTS

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and hepatitis G vi rus (HGV) RNA were studied in 50 adult haemophilic patients who had re ceived commercial clotting factors prior to 1980. HGV RNA was detectab le in 6/50 patients (12%): 49/50 (98%) had antibody to HCV and 40/49 ( 82%) of these were viraemic with detectable HCV RNA; 5/6 patients with detectable HGV RNA had co-existing HCV infection and viraemia. The HG V PCR products from all six patients were directly sequenced and all w ere shown to be similar to that of HGV but more diverse from that of G B virus C. One patient who had persistent abnormal liver function test s had detectable HGV RNA but no evidence of hepatitis B or C. The pres ence of HGV RNA in the absence of hepatitis B and C infection indicate s that this virus is capable of independent transmission. Independent response to interferon was demonstrated in one patient with co-infecti on who lost HGV but not HCV after interferon therapy.