Human Pegivirus (HGV) Prevalence among Blood Donors in Burkina Faso: New Data after 2013

Introduction: Human pegivirus (HPgV), initially identified as hepatitis G virus in the 1990s, predominantly causes acute hepatitis and may persist particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems or those co-infected with HIV, HBV, or HCV. Despite its potential public health implications, particularly in transfusion contexts, comprehensive epidemiological data on HPgV in Burkina Faso remains scarce. Objectives: This study aimed to determine 1) the prevalence of human pegivirus infection among blood donors at the Regional Blood Transfusion Centre (Koudougou, Burkina Faso), and 2) the rates of co-infection between human pegivirus with HIV, HBV, HCV and Treponema pallidum. Material and Methods: Between 9 and 27 August 2022, 100 blood samples were collected and analyzed at the Regional Blood Transfusion Centre. Screening for HIV, HBV, HCV, and Treponema pallidum was conducted using the Cobas e 601 system (Roche Diagnostics). A 100 μL volume of each donor’s plasma was utilized for viral RNA extraction with the DNA/RNA Prep Kit (Sacace Biotechnologies) following the manufacturer’s instructions. HPgV RNA detection was conducted using the HGV Real-TM amplification kit (Sacace Biotechnologies). Results: The study was comprised of 100 blood donors, identifying HPgV RNA in 14 individuals (14% prevalence), with one noted co-infection with HBV. None of the participants were HIV positive. The prevalence rates for HBV and HCV were each found to be 5%, and syphilis also presented a prevalence of 5%. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a significant prevalence of HPgV among blood donors in Burkina Faso, underscoring the need for heightened surveillance and preventive measures in blood transfusion services and the broader population to enhance transfusion safety and public health.