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Byline: M. Wachtler (1), A. Hofmann (2), G. Muller (1), G. Frosner (2), H. Nitschko (2), M. Karwat (1), I. Knetsch (1), C. Emminger (1), D. Eichenlaub (1) Keywords: Key Words GBV-C/HGV infection; HIV infection; Seroprevalence; Male homosexuals; Sexual transmission; Age Abstract: Background: The objective of this cross-sectional, non-randomized, prospective study was to generate data on the prevalence of GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) in a cohort of HIV-infected homosexuals from Munich. Patients and Methods: A total of 71 HIV-infected homosexual men were analyzed for prevalence of GBV-C RNA and antibodies to the E2 envelope glycoprotein (E2Ab). 475 healthy volunteer blood donors in southern Bavaria served as a control group. Results: The prevalence of GBV-C RNA was 27% (control group: 2.3%) and the prevalence of E2Ab was 35% (control group: 6%). The total prevalence for present and past infection was 62%. The differences between the HIV-infected patients and the control group were significantly (p &lt 0.0001). GBV-C RNA and E2Ab were not detected simultaneously in any serum sample. The E2Ab positive patients were older than the GBV-C RNA positives (mean 46 years versus 39 years, p = 0.0350). The GBV-C RNA and E2Ab negative patients were older than the GBV-C RNA positives (mean 47 years versus 39 years, p = 0.0236). The E2Ab positive patients had suffered sexually transmittet diseases more frequently than the patients negative for markers of GBV-C infection (p = 0.0308). E2Ab positive patients also had higher mean levels of alanine aminotransferase compared to patients without evidence of GBV-C infection (p = 0.0164). 59.4% of all individuals were anti-HBc IgG positive. Conclusion: The data can be interpreted as indirect evidence for sexual transmission of GBV-C. Author Affiliation: (1) City Hospital Munich-Schwabing, Academic Teaching Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Medical Dept. 4, Kolner Platz 1, D-80804 Munich, Germany Phone: (+49/89) 3068-2617, Fax: -3834, DE (2) Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, D-80336 Munich,Germany, DE Article note: Received: October 6, 1999 * Revision accepted: July 25, 2000

Byline: M. Wachtler (1), D. Eichenlaub (1), E. Strobel (2), Ute Koch (3), W. Doering (3), M. Overbeck (4), W. Witte (5) Author Affiliation: (1) 4th Medical Dept., Academic Teaching Hospital of Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Municipal Hospital Munich-Schwabing, Kolner Platz 1, D-80804 Munich, Germany Phone: (+49/89) 3068-2617, Fax: -3834, e-mail: martin.waechtler@multimedica.de, DE (2) Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hospital Hygiene, Municipal Hospital Munich-Schwabing, D-80804 Munich, Germany, DE (3) 2nd Medical Dept., Municipal Hospital Munich-Schwabing, D-80804 Munich, Germany, DE (4) German Cardiac Center Munich, Clinic for Cardiac and Vessel Surgery, D-80636 Munich, DE (5) National Reference Center for Staphylococci, Robert Koch Institute, D-38843 Wernigerode, Germany, DE Article note: Received: August 7, 2000 * Revision accepted: April 29, 2002