PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-G VIRUS-INFECTION IN SLOVENIAN HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE DETECTION OF VIRAL GENOME AND E2 ANTIBODIES

The prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection was assessed by th e detection of viral genome and HGV E2 antibodies in hemodialysis pati ents from a dialysis unit with the highest prevalence of hepatitis C v irus infection in Slovenia. HGV RNA was detected in 7 (11.9%) and HGV E2 antibodies in 20 (33.9%) of 59 hemodialysis patients. One patient h ad detectable HGV RNA as well as HGV E2 antibodies in her serum sample at the time of the study. The total prevalence of HGV infection was 4 4.1%. Our results clearly indicate that the mere detection of HGV RNA in serum samples would seriously underestimate the real prevalence of HGV infection in hemodialysis patients. Therefore, when assessing the prevalence of HGV infection in hemodialysis patients, detection of bot h antibody and nucleic acid is requisite.