Hepatitis G virus/GB virus C infection in an area of high endemic hepatitis C virus infection

We previously reported an area of high endemic hepatitis C virus (HCV) in which over 30% of the inhabitants were positive for HCV antibody. Folk remedies such as acupuncture and cutting of the skin using nonsterilized knives were considered to be possible routes of HCV transmission in this area. Hepatitis G virus/ GB virus C (HGV/GBV-C), a newly discovered hepatitis virus, was analyzed to determine the role and transmission of its infection in this area. A total of 100 individuals were selected randomly from 420 inhabitants who were medically screened for liver disease in 1993, and were subjected to this study. HGV/GBV-C RNA in serum was measured by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction with primers in the putative non-structural 5 region. Of the 100 subjects, five (5%) were positive for HGV/GBV-C RNA and 40 (40%) were positive for HCV antibody (34 were also positive for HCV RNA). The prevalence of HCV antibody in five individuals with HGV/GBV-C RNA (100%) was significantly (P < 0.008) higher than in 95 individuals without HGV/GBV-C RNA (37%). None of five individuals with HGV/GBV-C infection had a history of blood transfusion, but 80% of those had a history of folk remedies. Serum level of alanine aminotransferase was similar between individuals with HCV and HGV/GBV-C infections and those with only HCV infection. In conclusion, 5% of the inhabitants in an area of high endemic HCV were infected with HGV/GBV-C. HGV/GBV-C infection in this area was closely associated with HCV infection and seems to have mainly been spread by folk remedies.