Hepatitis G

Definition: Hepatitis G

Hepatitis G virus (HGV) - also called GB-C virus - is a positive-strand RNA virus, similar to, but distinct from, the hepatitis C virus. It was newly discovered when people developed post transfusions hepatitis that couldn't be cause by any other known hepatitis virus. Hepatitis G virus can cause either a light acute hepatitis or a persistent infection (between 15-30% of the infected adults). That means that a high percentage (70-85 %) of the people infected is able to clear their viremia. It is unclear whether hepatitis G virus is causing clinical hepatitis, the studies suggesting that by itself, HGV doesn't seem to cause important liver diseases.

Incubation period and infectivity

The hepatitis G virus has an incubation period which is supposed to be almost similar to HCV's one, which means that it ranges from 3 to 20 weeks.

Hepatitis G Hepatitis G Symptoms