Hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in voluntary and commercial blood donorsin India

The prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) has been determined in commercial as well as voluntary blood donors from India by detecting viral RNA genome using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. 45 p rofessional blood donors from private blood banks and 50 healthy controls w ho opted for voluntary blood donation were recruited for the study. Both th e groups were also screened serologically for HBV and HCV infection. The pr evalence of HGV in the general population in India was found to be 4% but s ignificantly a higher frequency (46.6%; p < 0.001) of HGV was observed in c ommercial blood donors. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.