Hepatitis G virus In Hepatic And Emodialysed Patients

The hepatitis G virus (HGV/GBV-C) is recently discovered viral agent cloned from the serum of individuals with hepatitis. Like HCV, HOV appears to result commonly in chronic infection. The relationship of HGV infection with liver disease and possible interaction between HOV andknown hepatitis viruses have also been estimated. However, so far no clear link has been established between HGV and chronic liver disease. We aimed to study HOV infection in patients with chronic liverdisease and patients on maintenance hemodialysis in our locality using different laboratory diagnostic test. The present work included 30 patients with chronic liver disease [21 males and 9 females with a mean age of(49±14) and ranged from 22 to 75 years] and 30 patients with chronic renal failure on maintenance hemodialysis [(18 males and 12 females with a mean age of (30±9.2) and ranged from 18 to 52 years]. In addition, 30 apparently healthy individuals [(16 males and 14 females with a mean age of(32±7.0) and ranged from 20 to 52 years] with no previous history of blood transfusion as a controlgroup.All patients and controls were subjected to complete history taking and some routine investigations as well as serological assays for detection of anti-HGV-E2, HBsAg, HIV-Ab as well as HCV-IgG using ELISA techniques. HGV-RNA and HCV-RNA were assayed by RT-PCR. The amplified HOV-PCR product was detected by two methods (gel detection method and the DIG-PCR ELISA detection method), whereas the amplified HCV-PCR product was detected using the gel detection method only.