HEPATITIS G VIRUS INFECTION IN CHILDREN WITH LIVER DISEASE IN THE UK.

Abstract

AIM: Hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a newly identified RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae genus. HGV infection has been reported in 1-2% of blood donors and 5-20% of adult patients with various liver diseases. There are no published reports addressing the role of HGV infection in children. We have assessed the prevalence and impact of HGV infection in children with liver disease. METHOD: 107 children with liver disease were studied (12 chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, 27 chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, 12 fulminant hepatic failure (FHF, n = 12: 10 idiopathic; 2 due to HBV infection), 7 graft dysfunction following liver transplantation (GDF), 20 cryptogenic liver disease (CRY) and 29 autoimmune liver disease). Each patient was examined for HGV RNA by RT-PCR using primers specific for the 5′ non-coding region followed by ELISA (Boehringer Mannheim). Further samples were analysed from those who were found to be positive. RESULTS: HGV RNA was detected in 4/107 (one each with HBV, FHF, GDF and CRY). Risk factors were identified from 3 patients, including blood transfusion and/or medical treatment in Eastern Europe. In the case with HBV infection, HGV RNA was detected before interferon (IFN) therapy, but became negative after IFN. In the case of GDF, HGV RNA was positive before and after transplantation. No clear relationship between liver dysfunction and HGV RNA was found. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HGV infection in children with liver disease is higher than that in blood donors but lower than that in adult patients with liver disease. However, HGV is not associated with any specific disease group and does not seem to be a major aetiological factor of liver disease in childhood in the UK.