GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection in patients investigated for chronic liver disease and in the general population in southern Sweden

Serum samples from patients referred for liver biopsy for investigation of suspected chronic liver disease (n = 286) and from healthy middle-aged volu nteers (n = 445) were analyzed for markers of exposure to GB virus C/hepati tis G virus (GBV-C/HGV), hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. GBV-C/HGV analyses included GBV-C/HGV PCR for detection of viremia and GBV-C/HGV enz yme-linked immunosorbent assay for anti-GBV-C/HGV E2 antibodies. Liver biop sies were re-evaluated by a hepatopathologist. GBV-C/HGV markers were detec ted in 97/286 (34%) patients (GBV-C/HGV RNA = 26; anti-GBV-C/HGV E2 antibod ies = 74) compared to 86/445 (19%; p < 0.0001) controls (GBV-C/HGV RNA = 7, anti-GBB-C/HGV E2 antibodies = 79). A significantly higher proportion of G BV-C/HGV-exposed subjects in the patient group were viremic compared to con trols (27% vs. 8.1%; p = 0.0015). GBV-C/HGV markers were more commonly foun d in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C. In patients with GBV-C/HGV vi remia, a higher occurrence of bile duct degeneration was detected than in n on-viremic patients. Markers of GBV-C/HGV infection were over-represented a mong patients investigated for chronic liver disease, and ongoing GBV-C/HGV viremia was more common in this group than in controls. Apart from a highe r prevalence of bile duct degeneration in viremic patients, infection with GBV-C/HGV did not confer any specific histological characteristics.