Hepatitis G virus and its prevalence and genotypes in patients with hepatitis B and C in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis G virus (HGV, or GB virus C) in patients with hepatitis B and C in Ahvaz, southeastern Iran. Materials and methods: A total of 100 patients were selected; 50 were positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 50 for hepatitis B virus (HBV). HGV status was examined among the HCV- and HBV-positive patients. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit was used to detect anti-E2 antibody. Nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for RNA detection from serum samples of chronic hepatitis patients. Sequencing was done to determine genotypes Results: Using the ELISA method, co-infection of HGV with HCV and HBV was determined at 6% and 8%, respectively. RT-PCR showed that co-infection of HGV with HCV and HBV was 22% and 10%, respectively. Based on nucleotide sequencing of PCR products, the predominant genotype of HGV among the samples was 2a. Conclusion: Our study showed that the co-infection rate of HGV in patients with hepatitis B and C was somewhat high and was higher in HCV- than in HBV-infected patients. As our findings and other reports from Iran and neighboring countries indicate, genotype 2 of HGV may be the most common genotype of HGV in Middle Eastern countries.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Key words: Hepatitis G virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, prevalence, genotype, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

Hepatitis G virus and its prevalence and genotypes in patients with hepatitis B and C in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran

Keywords:

Key words: Hepatitis G virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, prevalence, genotype, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction,

PDF

___

Tucker TJ, Smuts HE. GBV‐C/HGV genotypes: Proposed nomenclature for genotypes 1–5. J Med Virol 2000; 62: 82–3. 2. Tang S, Lai KN. Chronic viral hepatitis in hemodialysis patients. Hemodial Int 2005; 9: 169–79.
Krajden M, Yu A, Braybrook H, Lai AS, Mak A, Chow R et al. GBV‐C/hepatitis G virus infection and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma: a case control study. Int J Cancer 2010; 126: 2885–92.
Dikici B, Uzun H, Gözü A, Fidan M. Prevalence of hepatitis B infection among schoolchildren in Southeast Turkey. Turk J Med Sci 2009; 39: 289–93.
Kandemir Ö, Polat G, Saraçoğlu G, Taşdelen B. The predictive role of AST level, prothrombin time, and platelet count in the detection of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Turk J Med Sci 2009; 39: 857–62.
Amini S, Mahmoodabadi SA, Lamian S, Joulaie M, Farahani MM. Prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) in high-risk groups and blood donors in Tehran, Iran. Iran J Public Health 2005; 34: 41–6.
Souza IE, Zhang W, Diaz RS, Chaloner K, Klinzman D, Stapleton JT. Effect of GB virus C on response to antiretroviral therapy in HIV‐infected Brazilians. HIV Med 2006; 7: 25–31.
Polgreen PM, Xiang J, Chang Q, Stapleton JT. GB virus type C/ hepatitis G virus: a non-pathogenic flavivirus associated with prolonged survival in HIV-infected individuals. Microbes Infect 2003; 5: 1255–61.
Tacke M, Kiyosawa K, Stark K, Schlueter V, Ofenloch-Haehnle B, Hess G et al. Detection of antibodies to a putative hepatitis G virus envelope protein. Lancet 1997; 349: 318–20.
Hwang SJ, Lu RH, Chan CY, Wang YJ, Wu JC, Lee SD. The role of hepatitis G virus infection in patients with acute post transfusion hepatitis in Taiwan. Gastroenterology 1997; 112: 1260–4.
Yang J, Dai C, Chuang W, Lin W, Lin Z, Chen S et al. Prevalence and clinical significance of HGV/GBV-C infection in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C. Jpn J Infect Dis 2006; 59: 25–30.
Tan D, Matsumoto A, Conry-Cantilena C, Melpolder JC, Shih JW, Leuther M et al. Analysis of hepatitis G virus (HGV) RNA, antibody to HGV envelope protein, and risk factors for blood donors co-infected with HGV and hepatitis C virus. J Infect Dis 1999; 179: 1055–63.
Ramezani A, Gachkar L, Eslamifar A, Khoshbaten M, Jalilvand S, Adibi L et al. Detection of hepatitis G virus envelope protein E2 antibody in blood donors. Int J Infect Dis 2008; 12: 57–61.
Handajani R, Lusida MI, Suryohudoyo P, Adi P, Setiawan PB, Nidom CA et al. Prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection among various populations in Surabaya, Indonesia, and identification of novel groups of sequence variants. J Clin Microbiol 2000; 38: 662–8.
Ghanbari R, Ravanshad M, Hosseini SY, Yaghobi R, Shahzamani K. Genotyping and infection rate of GBV-C among Iranian HCV-infected patients. Hepat Mon 2010; 10: 80–7.
Zali MR, Mayumi M, Haoufi MM, Nowroozi A. GBV-C infection among patients with hepatitis C virus in the Islamic Republic of Iran: a preliminary report. East Mediterr Health J 1999; 5: 1030–4.
Hofer H, Aydin I, Neumueller‐Guber S, Mueller C, Scherzer TM, Staufer K et al. Prevalence and clinical significance of GB virus type C/hepatitis G virus coinfection in patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing antiviral therapy. J Viral Hepat 2011; 18: 513–7.
Ziaee M, Zarban A, Malekinejad P, Akhbary H. Evaluation of HGV viremia prevalence and its co-infection with HBV, HCV, HIV and HTLV-1 in hemophilic patients of Southern Khorassan, Iran. Hepat Mon 2007; 7: 11–4.
Abu Odeh RO, Al‐Moslih MI, Al‐Jokhdar MW, Ezzeddine SA. Detection and genotyping of GBV‐C virus in the United Arab Emirates. J Med Virol 2005; 76: 534–40.
Akcali S, Sanlidag T, Ozbakkaloglu B. Prevalence of GBV-C/ hepatitis G virus viremia among chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C and hemodialysis patients in Turkey. Ann Saudi Med 2006; 26: 68–9.
Kalkan A, Ozdarendeli A, Bulut Y, Saral Y, Ozden M, Kelestimur N et al. Prevalence and genotypic distribution of hepatitis GB-C/HG and TT viruses in blood donors, mentally retarded children and four groups of patients in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Jpn J Infect Dis 2005; 58: 222–7.
Al-Ahdal MN, Rezeig MA, Kessie G, Chaudhry F, Al- Shammary FJ. GB virus C/hepatitis G virus infection in Saudi Arabian blood donors and patients with cryptogenic hepatitis. Arch Virol 2000; 145: 73–84.