Study finds new virus, HPgV-2, among HCV patients

Researchers from Abbott and University of California at San Francisco identified a new human virus known as human pegivirus 2 among patients with hepatitis C virus infection, according to a press release.

The study was conducted at the UCSF-Abbott Viral Diagnostics and Discovery Center, where researchers sequenced fragments of human pegivirus 2 (HPgV-2), a bloodborne virus, and were able to detail eight separate strains of it. While the data showed a link between the virus and HCV, there is currently no concrete evidence that this virus can cause disease.

“By characterizing eight complete genomes and four partial genomes of human pegivirus 2, this study provides new insights into the evolution and diversity of this virus in infected individuals,” Charles Chiu, MD, PhD, associate professor of laboratory medicine at UCSF and director of the UCSF-Abbott Viral Diagnostics and Discovery Center, said in the release. “Discoveries like these are one of the reasons our partnership with Abbott is so important, as they provide us with information that pushes the boundaries of scientific knowledge and may have significant downstream implications with respect to human health.”

John Hackett Jr., PhD, divisional vice president of applied research and technology at Abbott, also stated in the release: “Our next step is to explore whether this new virus can cause disease, and if so, work with blood banks to continue to help safeguard the world's blood supply against these types of new viruses. Research such as this is ultimately focused on unlocking new technologies that hold the potential for significant improvements to the practice of health care.”

The data was recently published in PLOS Pathogens.

Disclosure: Hackett Jr. is employed by Abbott. Healio.com/Hepatology was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures of Chiu at the time of publication.