Hepatitis G virus infection after blood transfusion in patients with chronic liver disease treated surgically for hepatocellular carcinoma

To study the frequency of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection after blood transfusion, we retrospectively examined serum samples obtained from 53 patients who received blood transfusion before, during and after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Whole blood or separated blood products (fresh frozen plasma, platelet and/or red blood cells) were administered to these patients. The total amount of fresh frozen plasma ranged from 10-248 U (median 38). A total of 15-80 U (median 40) of platelets were administered to 42 patients. Similarly, 1-15 U (median 4) of red blood cells were transfused into 22 patients. HGV RNA was extracted and detected by reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction using 5' noncoding region primers. At 1 month after transfusion, seven patients (13.2%) became positive for HGV RNA. Patients who acquired HGV were not different from those who did not with regard to clinical condition, the amount of blood transfusion: age, sex, co-infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV). Only one of the seven patients who was negative for HCV RNA and HBs antigen showed a flare up of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). In five of the patients. the virus persisted in the serum up to 2 years after transfusion. Our findings suggest that the incidence of HGV transmission by blood products is relatively high (13.2%) and that the disease, once acquired, is likely to become chronic. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.