PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTOR-ANALYSIS OF GBV-C HGV INFECTION IN PROSTITUTES/

GB virus-C (GBV-C) and Hepatitis G virus (HGV) are variants of a recen tly cloned virus transmitted parenterally. It is unclear if sexual con tact also transmits this virus. In this study, we detected serum GBV-C /HGV RNA in 140 prostitutes by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using different primers. Thirty (21%) were found wit h GBV-C RNA by nested PCR although only 22 (73%) had HGV RNA by single round RT-PCR. Both assays had a nearly perfect agreement (kappa value , 0.812). The prevalence of GBV-C RNA in prostitutes was significantly higher than the control group (30/140 vs. 2/40, P < 0.02). Multivaria te analysis revealed that a frequency of paid sex more than 120 times per month was the only factor significantly associated with positive G BV-C RNA in prostitutes (P < 0.003). In summary, prostitutes are a hig h risk group and reservoir of GBV-C/HGV infection due to high frequenc y of paid-sex. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.