PAST AND PRESENT HEPATITIS-G VIRUS-INFECTIONS IN AREAS WHERE HEPATITIS-C IS HIGHLY ENDEMIC AND THOSE WHERE IT IS NOT ENDEMIC

We reported previously on an area in Japan where over 30% of the inhab itants were positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, In the pres ent study, clinical features of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in t his area of high endemicity were compared to those in an area where HC V is not endemic. A total of 400 individuals were selected randomly fr om those who were medically screened for liver disease in 1993; 200 we re from the high-endemicity area, and the other 200 were from the no-e ndemicity area, HGV RNA was measured by reverse transcription and PCR with primers in the 5' noncoding region, Antibody to HGV envelope prot ein E2 was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Prevalenc e of any HGV marker in the high endemicity area (32%) was significantl y (P < 0.0001) higher than that in the no-endemicity area (6%); simila r differences, 32% versus 3% (P < 0.0001), had been observed for HCV m arkers (HCV RNA and HCV antibody), In areas of both high and no endemi city, HCV markers were significantly more prevalent in individuals wit h any HGV marker than in those without HGV markers, and age-specific p revalence of HGV markers was distributed similarly to that of any HCV marker. Among possible routes of HGV transmission that were analyzed, folk medicine was significant in the high-endemicity area, but blood t ransfusion was the major route in the no-endemicity area. The rate of accompanying viremia in HGV infection (15%) nas significantly lower th an that in HCV infection (78%) (P < 0.0001), In conclusion, HGV infect ion was highly prevalent in the area of high HCV endemicity and was cl osely associated with HCV infection, HGV seemed to be transmitted via the practice of folk medicine as well as blood transfusion, HGV result ed in a chronic carrier state less frequently than did HCV.