Natural course of HGV infection in haemophiliacs.

Abstract

The natural course of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection was clarified in 70 haemophiliacs by testing for HGV RNA and antibodies against HGV envelope protein (anti-E2). None of 12 patients treated with only virus-inactivated coagulation factors were infected with HGV. Of 58 patients who received non-inactivated products, 28 (48%) were positive for HGV RNA and/or anti-E2. Of 16 patients with anti-E2, 14 were negative for the viral RNA, and had recovered from HGV infections. HCV antibodies were detected in 59 patients, and eight patients were successively negative for HCV RNA. Thus, the recovery rate of HGV infection (14/28, 50%) was higher than that of HCV (8/59, 14%) (P<0.001). Longitudinal study revealed that anti-E2 developed either during viraemia or some years after seronegativity for HGV RNA. Hence the antibody response itself seemed not to play a major role in the clearance of HGV though anti-E2 was associated with the clearance of HGV RNA. In conclusion, HGV and HCV are prevalent in patients treated with unsterilized coagulation factor concentrates. However, in contrast to HCV, spontaneous recovery is frequently observed in HGV infections.