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J Clin Microbiol 1998 Jan;36(1):110-114
Past and present Hepatitis G virus infections in
areas where Hepatitis C is highly endemic and those where it is
not endemic.
Tanaka E, Tacke M, Kobayashi M, Nakatsuji Y, Kiyosawa K, Schmolke
S, Engel AM, Hess G, Alter HJ Second Department of Internal Medicine,
Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. etanaka@gipac.shinshu-u.ac.jp
We reported previously on an area in Japan where over 30% of the
inhabitants were positive for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody.
In the present study, clinical features of Hepatitis G virus (HGV)
infection in this area of high endemicity were compared to those
in an area where HCV is not endemic. A total of 400 individuals
were selected randomly from those who were medically screened for
liver disease in 1993; 200 were from the high-endemicity area, and
the other 200 were from the no-endemicity area. HGV RNA was measured
by reverse transcription and PCR with primers in the 5' noncoding
region. Antibody to HGV envelope protein E2 was measured by an enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay. Prevalence of any HGV marker in the high-endemicity
area (32%) was significantly (P  0.0001) higher than that
in the no-endemicity area (6%); similar differences, 32% versus
3% (P 0.0001), had been observed for HCV markers (HCV RNA
and HCV antibody). In areas of both high and no endemicity, HCV
markers were" significantly more prevalent in individuals with any
HGV marker than in those without HGV markers, and age-specific prevalence
of HGV markers was distributed similarly to that of any HCV marker.
Among possible routes of HGV transmission that were analyzed, folk
medicine was significant in the high-endemicity area, but blood
transfusion was the major route in the no-endemicity area. The rate
of accompanying viremia in HGV infection (15%) was significantly
lower than that in HCV infection (78%) (P 0.0001). In conclusion, HGV infection was highly prevalent in the
area of high HCV endemicity and was closely associated with HCV
infection. HGV seemed to be transmitted via the practice of folk
medicine as well as blood transfusion. HGV resulted in a chronic
carrier state less frequently than did HCV. PMID: 9431931, UI: 98092228
< 0.0001) higher than that in the no-endemicity area (6%); similar
differences, 32% versus 3% (P < 0.0001), had been observed for
HCV markers (HCV RNA and HCV antibody). In areas of both high and
no endemicity, HCV markers were significantly more prevalent in
individuals with any HGV marker than in those without HGV markers,
and age-specific prevalence of HGV markers was distributed similarly
to that of any HCV marker. Among possible routes of HGV transmission
that were analyzed, folk medicine was significant in the high-endemicity
area, but blood transfusion was the major route in the no-endemicity
area. The rate of accompanying viremia in HGV infection (15%) was
significantly lower than that in HCV infection (78%) (P < 0.0001).
In conclusion, HGV infection was highly prevalent in the area of
high HCV endemicity and was closely associated with HCV infection.
HGV seemed to be transmitted via the practice of folk medicine as
well as blood transfusion. HGV resulted in a chronic carrier state
less frequently than did HCV.
PMID: 9431931, UI: 98092228
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