A Preliminary Report on Prevalence of Antibody Response to GBV-C, E2 Protein in Iranian Blood Donors and Multitrans-fused Patients

Abstract

Background: To analyze serologic markers of Hepatitis G virus (GBV-c) infection in Iranian blood donors and two major groups of multitransfused patients, hemophiliacs and thalassemics.

Methods :Nine hundred and five serum samples collected from the volunteer blood donors and two patient groups under the study were tested for the presence of antibodies to the GBV-C antigen (anti E2 ) by an ELISA assay .Those found positive for anti- E2 were also tested for possible exposure to HCV by detecting anti- HCV in their sera. Levels of ALT were also tested to evaluate impact on liver function.

Results: Approximately 8.6% of the volunteer blood donors were found positive for anti-E2 .The prevalence rate in hemophili­acs was 41.4 % and in thalassemia patients was 33.4% , which was significantly (P< 0.05) higher than donors. How­ever, the prevalence rate among the two high risk groups was not statistically significant.

Conclusion: A large number of the healthy blood donors in Iran have been exposed to the GBV-C. The significantly higher lev­els seen in the multitransfused patients can be regarded as an important route of transmission. It seems that no evidence of liver damage in individuals exposed confirming that GBV-C is not a hepatitis virus.