Emergency
Medical Services
Department of Public Safety
Bloodborne Pathogens Self-Study Module
CDC Hepatitis Branch Hepatitis G Factsheet
CLINICAL FEATURES
Acute disease spectrum unknown
ETIOLOGIC AGENT
Hepatitis G virus, although causal association remains to be
confirmed
INCIDENCE
0.3% of acute viral hepatitis
Estimated 900-2000 infections/year; most may be asymptomatic
SEQUELAE
Chronic infection develops in 90%-100% of infected persons
Chronic disease rare or may not occur
COSTS
Unknown
TRANSMISSION
Bloodborne
RISK GROUPS
Transfusion recipients
Injection drug users
Frequent co-infection with hepatitis C virus
?Other
SURVEILLANCE
Sentinel Counties Studies
TRENDS
No HGV infections in transfusion recipients detected since 1991 in
the Sentinel Counties Study of Viral Hepatitis
PREVENTION
Confirmation of disease association, determination of routes of
transmission, and development of serologic screening assays are necessary before
prevention measures can be considered.
