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Blood, Vol. 92 No. 6 (September 15), 1998:
pp. 2164-2168
From the Van Creveldkliniek, University Hospital Utrecht, Utrecht,
The Netherlands; Viral Diagnostic Laboratory, Central Laboratory of The
Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Amsterdam, The
Netherlands; and the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, The
Netherlands.
The prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV)-RNA and
HGV-E2 antibodies was studied in a cohort of Dutch hemophilia patients
in relation to clotting products used, age, and coinfection with hepatitis C. Between 1991 and 1995, blood samples were taken from 294 patients with hemophilia A, B, or von Willebrand disease. From each
patient one fresh frozen sample was tested for HGV cDNA polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) and HCV cDNA PCR. Alanine
aminotransferase (ALT) tests were performed on plasma
samples of all patients. The presence of HGV-E2 antibodies was tested
on plasma samples from a subset of 169 patients representing all age
groups. Based on the origin and viral safety of the products used,
three subgroups of patients were distinguished. Group A: patients who
used viral noninactivated factors derived from small and large donor
pools; group B: patients who used factors prepared with inadequate
viral inactivation techniques derived from small and large donor pools; and group C: patients treated only with optimally viral inactivated large pool clotting factor or recombinant clotting factor concentrate. The prevalence of HGV-RNA was 18%. In group A patients the prevalence was 71%, in group B 50%, and in group C 6%. When related to age, the
highest prevalence of HGV-RNA (35%) was seen in patients born between
1980 and 1989. The prevalence of HGV-E2 antibodies increased with age.
Of HGV-RNA-negative patients born before 1950, 96% tested positive.
HGV viremia did not affect ALT levels, neither in HCV-RNA positive nor
in HCV-RNA negative patients. HGV infection is frequently seen in
patients with hemophilia. In older age groups a lower rate of HGV-RNA
positivity is seen coinciding with a higher rate of antienvelope
antibodies.
© 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.
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