Prevalence of GBV-C/hepatitis G virus viraemia among blood donors, health care personnel, chronic non-B non-C hepatitis, chronic hepatitis C and hemodialysis patients in Egypt

A new RNA. virus, designated GBV-C/hepatitis G virus (HGV) has been identif ied recently. To evaluate the prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection among Egypt ians, five groups were enrolled in this study: group I, healthy blood donor s (82); group II, health care personnel (30); group III, chronic non-B non- C hepatitis patients (63); group IV, chronic hepatitis C patients (100); gr oup V, renal dialysis patients (79). GBV-C/HGV-RNA was detected by nested r everse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers deriv ed from 5'-non coding region of GBV-C/HGV. GBV-C/HGV-RNA was detected in 57 of 354 tested sera with an overall prevalence of 16.1%. Meanwhile, isolate d GBV-C/HGV infection was detected in 16/57 (28.1%), GBV-C/HGV coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 37/57 (64.9%) and with hepatitis B virus (H BV) in 4/57 (7.6%) of cases. The highest prevalence was encountered among d ialysis patients reaching 30% followed by chronic hepatitis C (14%), blood donors (12.2%), chronic non-B non-C hepatitis (11.1%), whereas the lowest p revalence rate of 6.6% was detected among health care personnel. Nucleotide sequence analysis in three Egyptians confirmed that these PCR products wer e derived from GBV-C/HGV genome and all isolates classified into US/Europea n type (type 2) of GBV-C/HGV genotypes. The risk factors of all cases were non-transfusion parenteral exposure, e.g. reusing syringes, dental treatmen t, surgery, invasive medical maneuvers, with an exception of renal dialysis patients who have had repeated blood transfusion. It is concluded that the re is a relatively high prevalence of GBV-C/HGV-RNA among different Egyptia n groups compared to international figures. The main risk factors were dire ct percutaneous exposure rather than blood transfusion. The Egyptian GBV-C/ HGV isolates are very similar to the American isolate PNF 2161. (C) 1999 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.