Fulminant hepatic failure in a pediatric patient with active GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection

We describe a rare case of a pediatric patient with active GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection who died of fulminant hepatic failure within less than a month after the onset of jaundice. The child tested negative for all other known hepatitis viruses and had no history of blood transfusions. This observation suggests that although GBV-C/HGV is usually not pathogenic to the liver, it may be associated with certain idiopathic forms of fulminant hepatitis. Whether this association is etiological or circumstantial remains to be seen. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.