Prevalence of Hepatitis-G virus infection in patients with liver diseases in district Larkana, Pakistan

Objective: To investigate the Hepatitis-G virus (HGV) infection prevalence in patients with liver diseases and the correlation of HGV with HBV, HCV and HDV. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 196 patients were recruited from August 2018 to January 2019. From blood samples, serum was separated and tested for HGV by using ELISA Kit. Results: Out of 196 patients, 123 were males and 73 females. Mean age was 40 years. We found 47(23.9%) positive for Hepatitis-B infection, 65(33.2%) positive for Hepatitis-C infection, 28(14.3%) positive for Hepatitis-D infection, 37(18.9%) with cirrhosis of liver and 19(9.7%) with carcinoma of liver. Among them, 7(3.6%) were positive for HGV. HGV was co-related with Hepatitis-C (5 cases) and Hepatitis-D (2 cases) and there was no case found for HGV positive in patients with carcinoma of liver, cirrhosis of liver and Hepatitis-B. Male were more prone than female and common in married and in young ages. Those patients who are more prone to blood transfusion and blood products were at high risk of exposure such as thalassemia, hemophilia and persons with liver transplantation and I/V drug abusers and on hemodialysis. Conclusion: Prevalence of HGV was 3.6% in liver disease and more prone in male with younger ages. It was also correlated with HCV and HDV.