Two patients with acute hepatitis B with suspected sexual transmission of hepatitis G virus

J Gastroenterol. 1998 Jun;33(3):419-23. doi: 10.1007/s005350050106.

Abstract

Two patients with acute hepatitis B with suggested sexual transmission of hepatitis G virus (HGV) are reported. A total of 18 patients with community acquired acute hepatitis B were analyzed in this study. Two of the 18 patients (patients 1 and 2) were positive for serum HGV RNA at the initial consultation. Both patients had had sexual contact with prostitutes several weeks before the onset of acute hepatitis, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) was suggested to be infected through the sexual contacts. These patients showed no other history of exposure to possible transmission routes for blood-borne hepatitis viruses. Patient 1 was diagnosed as with acute HGV infection because the antibody to HGV envelope-2 protein seroconverted to positive during the course of acute hepatitis. HGV RNA was negative in a serum sample collected from patient 2 before the onset of acute hepatitis, also suggesting acute HGV infection. These results indicate that in patients 1 and 2 HGV was infected along with HBV through sexual contact. The clinical manifestations of acute hepatitis in the two patients with HGV co-infection did not differ from those in the 16 patients with HBV infection alone.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Community-Acquired Infections / complications
  • Female
  • Flaviviridae* / genetics
  • Flaviviridae* / immunology
  • Hepatitis Antibodies / blood
  • Hepatitis B / complications*
  • Hepatitis B / immunology
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / complications
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / immunology
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / transmission*
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / virology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / virology*

Substances

  • Hepatitis Antibodies
  • RNA, Viral