Clinical significance of hepatitis G virus infection in patients on long-term haemodialysis |
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Authors: | TADASHI IDEURA EIJI TANAKA YOSHIYUKI NAKATSUJI MAMORU KOBAYASHI YUTAKA KANNO HISAO OGUCHI KAZUHIKO HORA |
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Institution: | *Division of Artificial Kidney, Shinshu University School of Medicine;?Second Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine;§Haemodialysis Centre, Aizawa Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan |
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Abstract: | Infection with the newly discovered hepatitis G virus (HGV) was analysed in 163 patients on long-term haemodialysis to clarify its prevalence and clinical significance. Hepatitis G virus RNA in serum was measured by polymerase chain reaction with primers corresponding to the putative non-structural 5’ region. Of the 163 patients, three (1.8%) were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, 40 (24.5%) were positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA and 16 (9.8%) were positive for HGV-RNA. Five of the 16 patients with HGV-RNA were also positive for HCV-RNA. Patients with HCV and HGV coinfection had undergone a longer duration of haemodialysis (P=0.001) and had higher units of transfusion (P=0.031) compared with those without hepatitis virus infection. Transfusion history was significantly higher (P=0.039) in patients with only HGV infection than in those without hepatitis virus infection. Hepatitis C virus RNA concentration was higher (P=0.032) in patients with HCV and HGV coinfection than in those with HCV infection only, but alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were similar between these two groups. In conclusion, about 10% of patients on haemodialysis were infected with HGV and the infection was closely associated with transfusion history. |
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Keywords: | haemodialysis hepatitis C virus hepatitis G virus |
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