PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-G VIRUS-RNA IN FRENCH BLOOD-DONORS AND RECIPIENTS

BACKGROUND: Recently, cases of chronic hepatitis were linked to the pr esence of genomic sequences of a newly described RNA virus termed hepa titis G virus (HGV) and belonging to the Flaviviridae family. STUDY DE SIGN AND METHODS: The presence of HGV RNA was searched for by polymera se chain reaction in a population of blood donors and in patients who had received multiple blood component transfusions and/or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions. RESULTS: Twenty-one (4.2%) of 500 don ors were positive for HGV RNA as were 21 (10.7%) of 196 nonimmunosuppr essed patients who had received multiple transfusions of packed red ce lls, 4 (8.7 %) of 46 common variable immune deficiency (CVID) patients who had received only IVIG, and 22 (24.7%) of 89 bone marrow transpla nt (BMT) patients who had received IVIG and cellular components. The p roportion of HGV-positive individuals was significantly higher in the immunosuppressed recipients (CVID and BMT patients) than in the nonimm unosuppressed patients who were multiply transfused with packed red ce lls (p<0.03). The proportion of HGV-positive individuals was significa ntly higher in the BMT patients who had received IVIG and cellular com ponents than in the CVID patients who had received IVIG only (p<0.03). Eight (17.0%) of the 47 HGV-positive recipients and 48 (16.9%) of the 284 HGV-negative recipients had a serum alanine aminotransferase leve l higher than the upper limit of normal (nonsignificant difference). T he medical history of HGV-positive donors failed to reveal a particula r at-risk event. The targe majority of HGV-infected patients had a nor mal serum alanine aminotransferase level, and the proportion of patien ts with elevated alanine aminotransferase was the same in HGV-positive and in HGV-negative recipients. CONCLUSION: The pathological signific ance of HGV infection remains unelucidated, and the classification of HGV as a new hepatitis virus was perhaps premature.