Arankalle, V ADeshmukh, T MChobe, L PChadha, M SWalimbe, A M2001-01-242009-05-292001-01-242009-05-292001-01-24Arankalle VA, Deshmukh TM, Chobe LP, Chadha MS, Walimbe AM. Hepatitis G virus infection in India: prevalence and phylogenetic analysis based on 5' non-coding region. Indian Journal of Gastroenterology. 2001 Jan-Feb; 20(1): 13-7http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/64096OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in western India and to carry out phylogenetic analysis of HGV isolates. METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was used to detect HGV RNA in serum samples obtained from paid plasma donors, patients with hemophilia and voluntary blood donors. Nine Indian and one Kenyan HGV RNA-positive samples were sequenced in the 5' non-coding region (5'-NCR). Phylogenetic analysis based on the comparison of a 101 nucleotide fragment from a large number of HGV isolates from 22 countries (including Indian and Kenyan sequences obtained during the present study) was carried out. RESULTS: HGV RNA positivity rates among paid plasma donors from a commercial plasmapheresis unit (7/43, 16.3%) and patients with hemophilia (5/44, 11.4%) were significantly higher than that in voluntary blood donors (0/51; p=0.003 and 0.019, respectively). Among patients with acute non-A to E hepatitis and fulminant hepatic failure, 1 of 50 and 1 of 28 were HGV RNA-positive, whereas 6 of 49 (12%) patients with chronic liver disease had circulating HGV RNA. All Indian isolates belonged to genotype 2, whereas the Kenyan isolate formed a distinct branch within genotype 1 consisting of African isolates. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest existence of parenteral transmission of HGV in the Indian population. HGV was not an important cause of acute non-A to E hepatitis or fulminant hepatic failure among the patients investigated. Genotype 2 seems to be the most prevalent genotype in western India.engBase SequenceFemaleFlaviviridae --geneticsGenotypeHepatitis, Viral, Human --diagnosisHumansIndia --epidemiologyMaleMolecular Sequence DataPhylogenyPolymorphism, Single NucleotidePrevalenceRNA, Viral --analysisReverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionRisk FactorsSeroepidemiologic StudiesJournal Article