Vertical transmission of HGV

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The transmission route of GBV-C/Hepatitis G virus (HGV) and the pathological role of this virus infection in liver disorder in children were investigated.(1) The prevalence of HGV in pregnant Japanese women (aged 30.2 +/- 4.4 years) was 0.3% (1/288).(2) The prevalence of HGV in children with no history of blood transfusion was 0.5% (5/1000). The mothers in all 5 families were positive, and among the 3 families two of the total 4 siblings were positive. Therefore, the prevalence of HGV in children born to HGV RNA-positive mothers was 78% (7/9). The mother in each case was positive for HGV and sequence homology analysis revealed no difference between child and their mothers, suggesting mother-to-infant transmission was the route of infection in these children.(3) We detected HGV in 33.3% (11/33) and anti-E2 antibody in 3.7% (1/27) children in the malignant and 3 of 56 (5.4%) and 1.9% (1/53) children in the non-malignant groups. Neither HGV nor anti-E2 antibody was detected in the HBV and non A-C hepatitis groups. HGV and anti-E2 antibody were detected in 7 of 23 (30%) and 1 of 18 (5.6%) children in the HCV group. All these cases had a history of blood transfusion. The presence of HGV infection does not seem to be as critical as conventionally thought in association with childhood liver dysfunction.(4) No anti-E2 antibody (0/330) was detected in children with no history of blood transfusion. This suggests that children infected with HGV became a carrier and the rate of seroconversion to anti-E2 antibody is low in childhood.