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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 1999, p. 1294-1297, Vol. 37, No. 5
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Age-Dependent Acquisition of Hepatitis G Virus/GB Virus C in a Nonrisk Population: Detection of the Virus by Antibodies

Heinz-Hubert Feucht,* Matthias Schröter, Bernhard Zöllner, Susanne Polywka, and Rainer Laufs

Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Universitäts-Krankenhaus Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Received 21 September 1998/Returned for modification 19 November 1998/Accepted 22 January 1999

Until now there have been few seroepidemiological data for hepatitis G virus/GB virus type C (HGV/GBV-C). A four-antigen HGV/GBV-C immunoblot was established to examine 446 serum specimens from healthy individuals without risk factors for parenteral viral transmission. These individuals were divided into seven groups according to age. Seroprevalence rates were low for children and adolescents (5.6%) and increased for the age groups assumed to be the most sexually active (15.3 to 26.8%). Remarkably, none of the 80 individuals who tested positive for HGV/GBV-C antibodies were simultaneously positive for HGV/GBV-C viremia. From our data we conclude that HGV/GBV-C infection is widespread in the general population (16 to 25%). The development of an antibody response is associated with clearance of HGV/GBV-C viremia. Due to the lack of risk factors for HGV/GBV-C infection of blood, other efficient transmission routes must exist. It must be assumed that HGV/GBV-C transmission may be linked to sexual activity.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, UKE, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Phone: 49-40-47173159. Fax: 49-40-47174062. E-mail: feucht{at}uke.uni-hamburg.de.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 1999, p. 1294-1297, Vol. 37, No. 5
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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