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Prevalence and clinical role of GBV-C infection after cardiac surgery in childhood: a study on 414 patients.

Vogt M, Klostermann B, Braun S, Busch R, Hess J, Frösner G, Lang T

Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, German Heart Center, Technical University of Munich, Lazarettstr. 36, D-80636 Munich, Germany. drvogt@dhm.mhn.de

OBJECTIVES: GB-virus C (GBV-C) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) share similar modes of transmission. We, therefore, examined the prevalence and clinical role of GBV-C and HCV in patients after cardiac surgery in childhood. METHODS: We analysed blood samples of 414 patients and compared them to 487 controls. Evidence of liver disease and risk factors for infection was analysed. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of GBV-C infection was 22.5% in the patients, compared to 6.2% in the controls (HCV infection 11.3 vs. 0.7%). GBV-C RNA was detected in 8.2% of the patients vs. 3.7% in the controls (HCV RNA in 6 and 0%, respectively). Eleven patients had detectable RNA of GBV-C and HCV. 63.4% of patients infected with GBV-C and 46.8% of patients infected with HCV cleared the virus from circulation. GBV-C infection was not associated with hepatitis. Liver disease was not more frequent in patients co-infected with HCV and GBV-C. CONCLUSIONS: before 1991 have a substantial risk for HCV and GBV-C infection. However, GBV-C infection seems not to be associated with a liver disease. Co-infection with GBV-C and HCV has no influence on long-term clinical outcome or viral clearance of HCV infection.

Published 4 July 2006 in J Infect, 53(1): 43-8.
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