HEPATITIS-G VIRUS-INFECTION IN DRUG-USERS IN LIVERPOOL

Objectives: to establish the prevalence of hepatitis G (HGV) in drug u sers in Liverpool; to explore the risk factors for, and the effects of , HGV infection.Methods: serum samples from 129 drag users who had att ended the Infectious Diseases Unit at Fazakerley Hospital, Liverpool, between January 1995 and June 1996 were examined for HGV RNA using PCR . HGV RNA results were collated with dermographic data, information on drug-use behaviour, hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) serology, and the r esults of serum bilirubin and aspartate amino-transferase (AST) measur ements. Results: overall, 37 (29%) of patients were HGV RNA positive, 89 (69%) were negative, and equivocal results were obtained in three ( 2%) cases. Direct sequencing of PCR products of the 5' non-translated region for 13 patients showed that these were generally more closely r elated to the HGV than the GB virus C (GBV-C) sequence. HGV coinfectio n with HCV and HBV was common: of HGV-positive patients, 28 (76%) and 16 (44%) had antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) and hepatitis B core protein (anti-HBc), respectively. Increasing duration of injecting drug use w as associated with a decreasing seroprevalence of HGV RNA, dropping fr om 39% for 0-4 years of injecting to 14% far >12 years injecting, Seru m bilirubin and AST Values were frequently elevated, but statistical a nalysis showed no differences between HGV-positive and HGV-negative pa tient groups. Conclusions: HGV infection is common in drug users in Li verpool, but HGV RNA prevalence falls with increasing duration of inje cting drug use, probably as a result of viral clearance and the develo pment of protective immunity. HGV infection does not appear to be a si gnificant cause of hepatic dysfunction in Liverpool drug users.