Detection of the hepatitis G virus genome among injecting drug users, homosexual and bisexual men, and blood donors

The recently identified hepatitis G virus (HGV) is parenterally transmitted; the impact of sexual transmission is unknown, Moreover, it is unclear what proportion of HGV-infected persons may develop persistent viremia, Sera from injecting drug users (IDUs), non-drug-injecting homosexual and bisexual men with high levels of sexual risk behavior, and blood donors were tested for HGV RNA and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and HCV, HGV RNA was detected in 33% of IDUs (n = 130), 11% of homosexual and bisexual men (n = 101), and 2% of blood donors (n = 90), HGV RNA seroprevalence significantly decreased with increasing time since first drug injection, whereas the seroprevalences of both HCV RNA and anti-HCV antibody increased, Thus, a high proportion of HGV-infected persons may clear the virus and develop protective antibodies, The relatively high HCV RNA prevalence among non-drug-injecting homosexual and bisexual men indicates that sexual contact may be another important route of HGV transmission.