Jongerius J, Boland G, van der Poel C, Rasch M, Italiaander E, van der Reijden J, Friedman P, Cockerill J, van Leeuwen E, van Hattum J
Blood Bank Midden-Nederland, Utrecht, The
Vox Sang. 1999;76(2):81-4. doi: 10.1159/000031025.
Two new flaviviruses, hepatitis G virus and GB virus type C (GBV-C), are possible causative agents for non-A-E hepatitis. In this study we established the prevalence of GBV-C markers in various population subsets in The Netherlands by assays for GBV-C antibodies and GBV-C nucleic acid.
We tested specimens from groups of patients with hepatitis of various causes, intravenous drug users (IVDUs), and blood donors for GBV-C RNA (LCx(R) GBV-C assay, Abbott Laboratories), and for antibodies to the GBV-C envelope E2 protein (GBV-C anti-E2) with an enzyme immunoassay (Abbott Laboratories). Patients and donors were represented in one group only.
GBV-C RNA and GBV-C anti-E2 prevalence were, respectively, 2/34 (6%) and 3/34 (9%) among patients with non-A-E hepatitis, 2/10 (20%) and 0/10 (0%) among hepatitis B virus patients, 10/40 (25%) and 19/40 (48%) among hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, 1/8 (13%) and 0/8 (0%) among patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), 24/102 (24%) and 72/102 (71%) among IVDUs, 1/34 (3%) and 2/34 (6%) among blood donors with indeterminate anti-HCV recombinant immunoblot assay reactivity, and 3/250 (1.2%) and 8/250 (3.2%) among first-time blood donors. The profile of simultaneous GBV-C RNA positivity plus GBV-C anti-E2 positivity was found in 2/40 (5%) HCV patients, 4/102 (4%) IVDUs, and 1/250 (0.4%) first time blood donors.
GBV-C infection appears not to be a major cause of non-A-E hepatitis and AIH, but is associated with parenteral risk. The prevalence of GBV-C viremia in first time blood donors is higher than that of HCV (1.2 vs. 0.04%), but GBV-C viremia in IVDUs is lower than HCV (24 vs. 59%). Most IVDUs have probably previously been exposed to GBV-C given the very high prevalence of GBV-C anti-E2 (71%). Most persons with GBV-C markers are GBV-C RNA-negative and anti-E2-confirmed positive, suggesting that GBV-C infection is transient.
两种新型黄病毒，即庚型肝炎病毒和丙型GB病毒（GBV-C），可能是非甲-戊型肝炎的致病原。在本研究中，我们通过检测GBV-C抗体和GBV-C核酸，确定了荷兰不同人群亚组中GBV-C标志物的流行情况。
我们使用LCx(R) GBV-C检测法（雅培实验室）检测了各类病因肝炎患者、静脉吸毒者（IVDUs）和献血者的标本中的GBV-C RNA，并使用酶免疫分析法（雅培实验室）检测了针对GBV-C包膜E2蛋白的抗体（GBV-C抗E2）。患者和献血者仅归为一组。
在非甲-戊型肝炎患者中，GBV-C RNA和GBV-C抗E2的流行率分别为2/34（6%）和3/34（9%）；在乙型肝炎病毒患者中分别为2/10（20%）和0/10（0%）；在丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）患者中分别为10/40（25%）和19/40（48%）；在自身免疫性肝炎（AIH）患者中分别为1/8（13%）和0/8（0%）；在IVDUs中分别为24/102（24%）和72/102（71%）；在抗-HCV重组免疫印迹试验反应不确定的献血者中分别为1/34（3%）和2/34（6%）；在初次献血者中分别为3/250（1.2%）和8/250（3.2%）。在2/40（5%）的HCV患者、4/102（4%）的IVDUs和1/250（0.4%）的初次献血者中发现了GBV-C RNA阳性加GBV-C抗E2阳性的情况。
GBV-C感染似乎不是非甲-戊型肝炎和AIH的主要病因，但与经肠外途径感染的风险相关。初次献血者中GBV-C病毒血症的流行率高于HCV（1.2%对0.04%），但IVDUs中GBV-C病毒血症低于HCV（24%对59%）。鉴于GBV-C抗E2的流行率非常高（71%），大多数IVDUs可能以前接触过GBV-C。大多数具有GBV-C标志物的人GBV-C RNA阴性且抗E2确认阳性，这表明GBV-C感染是短暂的。
