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Profiles of GBV‐C/hepatitis G virus markers in patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus

GBV‐C/Hepatitis G virus (GBV‐C/HGV) is a newly discovered viral agent, found widely among healthy blood donors and among individuals at risk of parenterally transmitted infections. GBV‐C/HGV is found frequently in coinfection with HCV. A population of 109 HCV positive patients was examined for the presence of GBV‐C/HGV RNA and antibodies to E2. Of the 109 patients, 23 (21%) had serum GBV‐C/HGV RNA in serum, 39 (36%) had only antibodies to E2 and 8 (7%) were positive for both markers, with an overall prevalence of 64%. Different serologic and virological patterns were observed in GBV‐C/HGV exposed patients according to their infection status. Active infection was characterized by positive RT/PCR signal with primers for both the 5′UTR and NS5 genomic regions, viremia levels above 104 copies/mL by real time quantitative RT/PCR and absence of detectable anti‐E2. In the transition phase between active infection and recovery, GBV‐C/HGV RNA was only detectable by RT/PCR using primers from the 5′ untranslated region and viremia levels were below 104 copies/ml by quantitative PCR, with or without simultaneous presence of anti‐E2 antibodies. Resolved infection was characterized by absence of detectable viremia and, in most patients, by the presence of anti‐E2. J. Med. Virol. 59:45–51, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.