PubMed · 10063388
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N Vasiljević, J Taseski, B Balint. [Viral hepatitis G--current knowledge].. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10063388/
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The aim of this study was to determine whether multicentre quality controls for the detectability of viral genomes could contribute to the improvement of diagnostic performance in the participating laboratories. The study was carried out during two successive rounds, during which 18 laboratories specialized in nucleic acid testing analyzed, through a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, a common panel of GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) RNA-positive and -negative samples. During the first round, the laboratories used either an 'in-house' PCR procedure or a partly standardized commercial test. After decoding the results of the first round, the procedures of the participating laboratories were compared in order to establish a consensus procedure deduced from those of the laboratories which provided the best results. During the second round, each participating laboratory could use the resulting consensus procedure, or its own procedure, or both. The results of this quality control study indicated that, whatever method used, even specialized and trained laboratories may give false-negative or false-positive results. The commercial assay did not guarantee a systematic high quality level of results. The striking heterogeneity of results observed among laboratories using the same commercial assay confirm that molecular biology methods need skilled technicians. The results of this quality control study suggest that full standardization of viral genome detection, including all steps of the procedure, is necessary and that the laboratories performing PCR should participate in repeated quality control studies, whatever technique is being used.
Our study evaluates the analytical performance of two amplification methods in the detection of GB Virus C/Hepatitis G Virus, GEN ETI-K HGV RNA (GEN) and the LCx GBV-C Assay (LCx). GB Virus C RNA was detected by at least one test in 58/315 samples (18.41%). Fifty-five samples (17.46%) were positive by the GEN method and 51 samples (16.19%) by the LCx method. The same rate of detection was found for 71 haemodialysis patients and 18 non-A non-E hepatitis. Method based differences in prevalence were observed for patient samples from the general population, 8/106 (7.55%) positive by GEN vs 7/106 (6.60%) by LCx; and HIV infected patients, 26/98 (26.53%) vs 23/98 (23.46%). For chronic type C hepatitis 10/22 (45.5%) were positive by both methods, with two samples discordant. Overall, discordance was observed for ten samples, with seven positive only by the GEN ETI-K HGV RNA, and three positive only by the LCx GBV-C Assay. An additional evaluation of serial samples, from chronic type C hepatitis patients under interferon treatment, revealed three samples which were positive only by the GEN method. Results were 100% concordant for patients under haemodialysis and for non-A non-E hepatitis, 95.9% in the HIV positive group, 90.9% in the chronic type C hepatitis group, and 97.1% in the general population group. Overall, a 97.2% of concordance was found between methods. Both tests have a similar diagnostic performance, though in our opinion, LCx GBV-C Assay better suits the requirements of a clinical microbiology diagnostic laboratory.
HEPATITIS G VIRUS: The hepatitis G virus is an RNA virus with a genomic organization and variability similar to the hepatitis C virus but with a much different pathogenic power which remains to be elucidated. HEPATITIS G: No cases of chronic hepatitis have been observed. Coinfections with HCV and HIV do occur but do not aggravate the prognosis. Anti E2 antibodies are found in the serum and correspond to elimination and neutralization of the HVG genome. There is a high prevalence in transplant recipients (31%), but no modification in liver or kidney grafts has been reported.