Abstract
Two viruses, GB virus A (GBV-A) and GB virus B (GBV-B), were recently identified in the GB hepatitis agent. Human sera containing antibodies that recognize GBV-A and/or GBV-B recombinant proteins were subjected to polymerase chain reaction studies with degenerate oligonucleotides capable of amplifying a segment of the putative helicase genes from GBV-A, GBV-B or hepatitis C virus. Novel sequences related to members of the Flaviviridae were identified in sera from 12 individuals including 4 individuals with hepatitis. The limited nucleotide sequence identity between GBV-A, GBV-B and HCV sequences suggests that a novel virus, tentatively named GB virus C, may be responsible for some cases of non-A, non-B, non-C, non-D, non-E hepatitis.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Africa, Eastern / epidemiology
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Africa, Western / epidemiology
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Antibodies, Viral / blood
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Base Sequence
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Canada / epidemiology
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Comorbidity
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DNA Helicases / genetics
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Female
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Flaviviridae / genetics
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Flaviviridae / immunology
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Flaviviridae / isolation & purification*
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Hepatitis Viruses / genetics
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Hepatitis Viruses / immunology
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Hepatitis Viruses / isolation & purification*
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Hepatitis, Viral, Human / blood
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Hepatitis, Viral, Human / epidemiology
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Hepatitis, Viral, Human / virology*
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Humans
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Male
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Mass Screening
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Phylogeny
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Prevalence
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Risk Factors
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Sequence Alignment
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Sequence Homology
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Substance Abuse, Intravenous / epidemiology
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Substance Abuse, Intravenous / virology
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Viral Nonstructural Proteins / genetics
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Viremia / virology*
Substances
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Antibodies, Viral
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Viral Nonstructural Proteins
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DNA Helicases
Associated data
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GENBANK/U25538
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GENBANK/U25539
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GENBANK/U25540
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GENBANK/U25541
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GENBANK/U25542
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GENBANK/U25543
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GENBANK/U25544
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GENBANK/U25545