Prevalence and genetic variants of hepatitis GB-C/HG and TT viruses in Gabon, equatorial Africa

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2000 Sep-Oct;63(3-4):192-8. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2000.63.192.

Abstract

The distribution of Hepatitis GB-C/HG (GB-C/HG) and TT viruses (TTV) infections was investigated in selected populations from Gabon using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for anti-Envelop 2 (anti-E2) GBV-C/HGV antibodies. Among pregnant women, 29 of 229 (12.6%) were Hepatitis GB virus-C and Hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) RNA positive (+) and 32 of 81 (39.5%) anti-E2 + versus 8 of 39 (20.5%) TTV DNA +. Among sickle cell anemia patients, 9.7% (3/31) were GBV-C/HGV RNA + versus 22.5% (7/31) TTV DNA +. For tuberculosis patients, the figures were 11.5% (4/35) and 0%. A study of hepatocellular carcinoma cases (n = 27) versus controls (n = 66) did not show significant differences for GBV-C/HGV RNA (10.7% versus 12.1%) and TTV DNA (44.4% versus 30.3%). According to phylogenetic analysis, the 15 GBV-C/HGV strains investigated clustered in group 1, the most common in sub-Saharan Africa whereas TTV sequences (n = 4) mostly clustered in genotypes G1 and one close to genotype G3. In the Gabonese populations investigated, GBV-C/HGV and TTV infections were highly endemic. These data are consistent with the low pathogenicity of these agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell / virology
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Blood Transfusion
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / virology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA Virus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Flaviviridae / classification
  • Flaviviridae / genetics
  • Flaviviridae / immunology*
  • Gabon / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / virology
  • Male
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology
  • Prevalence
  • RNA, Viral / blood*
  • Torque teno virus / classification
  • Torque teno virus / genetics
  • Torque teno virus / immunology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / virology
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • RNA, Viral
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • glycoprotein E2, GB virus C