A novel flavivirus, GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV), has been detected in chronic liver disease patients. It is known that the viral RNA can be detected in approximately 5% of American blood donors. However, the implications for liver disease and the sites of virus replication remain unknown. Possible sites of virus replication were studied by using cell lines and/or primary cells de...

The newly discovered human flavivirus identified as GB virus-C [1] and hepatitis G virus (HGV) [2], presents intriguing challenges in virology, epidemiology, and blood banking. Its clinical relevance for hepatology, however, appears to have been short-lived. Murthy and colleagues in this issue of Kidney International [3] provide additional evidence that the virus is not associated with clinical...

BACKGROUND GB virus C (GBV-C) may have a beneficial impact on HIV disease progression; however, the epidemiologic characteristics of this virus are not well characterized. Behavioral factors and gender may lead to differential rates of GBV-C infection; yet, studies have rarely addressed GBV-C infections in women or racial/ethnic minorities. Therefore, we evaluated GBV-C RNA prevalence and genot...

BACKGROUND GB virus C (GBV-C) infection is transmitted by blood exposure and associated with lower human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load and slower HIV disease progression. Few studies describe predictors of acute GBV-C infection following transfusion in HIV-infected patients. METHODS We used a limited-access database from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's Viral Activation Trans...

BACKGROUND The picture that has emerged from studies investigating HIV infected people with GBV-C viremia is that they have lower plasma HIV viral loads in comparison with HIV-positive people who did not have the GBV-C viremia. OBJECTIVES Since GBV-C HIV coinfection has not been studied in Iran, we have designed a survey to study the outcomes of GBV-C infection on HIV infected individuals. ...

BACKGROUND GB virus C (GBV-C) is an apathogenic virus that inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication in vitro. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of GBV-C has been observed in multiple small studies. Our study examined the rate and correlates of MTCT of GBV-C in a large cohort of GBV-C-HIV-coinfected pregnant women in Thailand. METHODS Maternal delivery plasma specimens from 24...

Recently, gene fragments of several novel variants of GB virus A were isolated from the serum of distinct monkey species that had not been experimentally inoculated with an infectious agent. These variants appeared to be species-specific in that sequences isolated within a species were virtually identical, though sequences were strikingly different when compared between each species. In the pre...

1 Gender-based violence (GBV) is the most extreme expression of unequal gender relations in society and one of the most widespread violations of human rights. While GBV disproportionally affects women and girls, it also affects men and boys. These abuses take place all over the world in homes, schools, work-places and communities. But GBV is preventable and education and educational institution...

Twelve children born to hepatitis C virus antibody GBV-C/HGV RNA positive mothers who acquired GBV-C/HGV infection by the vertical or perinatal route were studied. Most (91%) were persistently GBV-C/HGV RNA positive up to 12 months of age. Four out of six cases who acquired GBV-C/HGV alone had normal alanine amino transferase activities. Long lasting evidence of hepatocellular injury was detect...