Detecting the 'brother' virus strain of hepatitis C virus

Every year, millions of people need blood transfusion to maintain life and a clean source of blood is the most important factor of this problem. However, scientists have discovered a new strain of virus that appears inside patients' blood transfusions , even if the virus is identified as being associated with virrus causing hepatitis C extremely dangerous. .

With a temporary nomenclature of human pegivirus 2 (HPgV-2) , scientists are still not sure whether it can cause illness, but the discovery of this strain is a serious problem. One point worth noting was that three months ago, another strain of the virus was discovered with the name human hepegivirus 1 (HHpV-1) and after the study, the experts found that there was no difference between the two. This entity.

Scientists have discovered a new strain of virus that appears inside patients' blood transfusions.

Dr. John Hackett Jr. from the Abbott Research and Analysis Center of the University of California, the author of the study, said: "The difference between HPgV-2 and HHpV-1 is negligible when there are only 4% of gene codes. "They are not the same. Currently, we are focusing our research on separating them in the most specific way and will give them proper names." According to the initial assessment, the virus has the same family name as the hepatitis C virus, the Flaviviridae family - viruses caused by blood-borne insects such as mosquitoes or mites and transmitted among vertebrates.

The discovery of this strain began in 2011, when a 70-year-old female patient, who had hepatitis C and had to inject drugs and blood transfusions several times to treat blood disorders caused by red blood cells, was died after being confirmed by multiple doctors from the University of Chicago Medical Center for multiple organ failure due to blood infection. By using the new generation gene sequencing method, scientists have discovered the existence of HPgV-2 virus. After testing more than 2400 blood samples from people identified as infected with HIV or hepatitis C virus, HPgV-2 virus appeared in 11 samples and all belonged to hepatitis C patients.

The discovery of this strain began in 2011.

Dr. Hackett also added that the relationship between HPgV-2 and the hepatitis C virus is relatively clear, although he and his colleagues still have many questions waiting to be answered because of the fact that it is not. One is aware of the presence of this virus. Currently, the problem that many people are most concerned about is what kind of disease this virus can cause and how fast it spreads, we have to wait for scientists to respond.