Hepatitis G is a newly discovered form of liver inflammation caused by hepatitis G virus (HGV), a distant relative of the hepatitis C virus.

HGV, also called hepatitis GB virus, was first described early in 1996. Little is known about the frequency of HGV infection, the nature of the illness, or how to prevent it. What is known is that transfused blood containing HGV has caused some cases of hepatitis. For this reason, patients with hemophilia and other bleeding conditions who require large amounts of blood or blood products are at risk of hepatitis G. HGV has been identified in between 1-2% of blood donors in the United States. Also at risk are patients with kidney disease who have blood exchange by hemodialysis, and those who inject drugs into their veins. It is possible that an infected mother can pass on the virus to her newborn infant. Sexual transmission also is a possibility.

Often patients with hepatitis G are infected at the same time by the hepatitis B or C virus, or both. In about three of every thousand patients with acute viral hepatitis, HGV is the only virus present. There is some indication that patients with hepatitis G may continue to carry the virus in their blood for many years, and so might be a source of infection in others.

This is the most recently discovered hepatitis virus, first isolated in a blood sample of a Chicago surgeon. It looks a lot like HCV-that is, it shares about 85 percent of its genetic sequence with that virus. But so far, it doesn't seem to be infectious or to cause illness. In fact, the Chicago surgeon in question is still operating. There are between 900 and 2,000 cases of hepatitis G infection each year in the United States. Chronic infection develops in most infected people, but chronic disease is rare or may not occur at all. Hepatitis G is bloodborne, but there have been no infections found in transfusion recipients since 1991. It can occur as a coinfection with hepatitis.

Some researchers believe that there may be a group of GB viruses, rather than just one. Others remain doubtful that HGV actually causes illness. If it does, the type of acute or chronic (long-lasting) illness that results is not clear. When diagnosed, acute HGV infection has usually been mild and brief. There is no evidence of serious complications, but it is possible that, like other hepatitis viruses, HGV can cause severe liver damage resulting in liver failure. The virus has been identified in as many as 20% of patients with long-lasting viral hepatitis, some of whom also have hepatitis C.

The only method of detecting HGV is a complex and costly DNA test that is not widely available. Efforts are under way, however, to develop a test for the HGV antibody, which is formed in response to invasion by the virus. Once antibody is present, however, the virus itself generally has disappeared, making the test too late to be of use.

• Conventional Treatments
  

There is no specific treatment for any form of acute hepatitis. Patients should rest in bed as needed, avoid alcohol, and be sure to eat a balanced diet.

• Alternative/Complementary Treatments
  

Fighting disease is a battle. Some turn to strictly alternative approaches in anguish when conventional treatments are exhausted. However, “alternative” treatments when used in addition to conventional medicine are often referred to as “complementary”. Complementary medicine is a more balanced approach in the effort to treat disease and is recommended because it allows one to take advantage of all options that are available.

It should be noted that because alternative or natural remedies are not regulated, many medical professionals advise against them because of the lack of pier studies and uncertainty of the level of quality control. In addition, they advise that any substance that can affect the body's chemistry can, like any drug, produce side effects that may be harmful. In other words, herbal remedies should be viewed as symptom treating aids, just as pharmaceutical drugs are.

However, there is hope. A relatively new science, called Glycobiology, now offers revolutionary and exciting options. Rather than taking the approach of treating a disease or even a symptom, Glycobiology addresses the nutritional requirement at the cellular level. It is believed that:

"Glycobiology is the last scientific frontier to be conquered. It is now understood that there is a 'sugar code' in biological structures that relates to both health and disease. Our ability to define the factors that regulate normal glycosylation of proteins and lipids, resulting in normal structures and functions, and those that cause disruption of normal sugar attachments will be important in understanding disease processes and their management.

Many investigative approaches are being used to study these structure-function relationships and their biological consequences. These include novel analytical techniques to investigate chemical and 3-dimensional structures, proteomics to understand the relationship between glycosylation change and disease, model living systems in which to study the impact of glycosylation, and new enzyme and glycotherapeutic techniques to alter abnormal structures.

Most major diseases that afflict mankind (e.g., cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative diseases) directly involve glycoconjugates. The ultimate goal is to develop the science of glycobiology so that it can have a significant impact on our ability to define and support health, and to diagnose and manage disease."
John S. Axford, BS, MD, FRCP

In 1994, legislation was passed that enabled millions of Americans to enjoy access to safe, effective and affordable dietary supplements. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate) revealed the following:

• The importance of nutrition and the benefits of dietary supplements to health promotion and disease prevention have been documented increasingly in scientific studies;
  
• There is a link between the ingestion of certain nutrients or dietary supplements and the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis; and
  
• Clinical research has shown that several chronic diseases can be prevented simply with a healthful diet, such as a diet that is low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, with a high proportion of plant-based foods;
  

I have seen first hand the power and benefits of Glycobiology as it relates to my wife LaDonna and her battle and victory against liver disease. Her turnaround validates the findings that Congress and many scientists in the field of Glycobiology have determined; we must not underestimate the importance of nutrition. A category of specific nutrients led us to find a specific nutritional therapy, which proved very positive. These particular nutrients are called glyconutrients . More specific information on these and other nutritional building blocks associated with this science may be found here.

There is no evidence of serious complications, but it is possible that, like other hepatitis viruses, HGV can cause severe liver damage resulting in liver failure. The virus has been identified in as many as 20% of patients with long-lasting viral hepatitis, some of whom also have hepatitis C.

Hepatitis G infection is more likely in people already infected with hepatitis B or C or who have a history of intravenous drug use. In a study of 47 women infected with HIV or hepatitis C virus, 9 of whom also were infected with the hepatitis G virus, the risk of vertical transmission was higher for hepatitis G than it was for the other two agents. Hepatitis G probably does not cause chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis.

As noted previously, among those patients originally infected with hepatitis B, C, or D virus whose acute symptoms resolve, some become chronic carriers of viral antigens. The same may be true for hepatitis G, although a carrier state has yet to be identified.

On a more personal note...

In June of 2004, my wife LaDonna was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis after blood tests,liver scan, and a liver biopsy revealed 85% damage. Her doctor recommended that she should consider a liver transplant as soon as possible.

The success of her treatment came as a result depending less and less on drugs and more and more on nutrition. The specific category of nutrition that brought about this success is glyconutrients.

It is clear that autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis G are completely distinct conditions, and there is no evidence of a link between infection with the HGV and autoimmune hepatitis. However, just as autoimmune hepatitis can lead to severe liver damage (as my wife LaDonna can attest), HGV can cause severe liver damage resulting in liver failure.

While there are no guarantees, it is possible that LaDonna's treatment plan that led to a complete reversal of her autoimmune hepatitis could possibly offer similar hope for those suffering with HGV. The same glyconutrient therapy that brought about an improvement in her enzymes levels could conceivably bring about similar improved liver enzymes levels in those afflicted with HGV. Just as her immune system was optimized, an optimized immune system in a patient with HGV could give the body a better chance of dealing with this virus.

While hepatitis G is caused from a different virus than that of hepatitis C (although it has been said that hepatitis G is a distant relative of the hepatitis C virus), this fact is still worth noting. In a Clinical Study of 8 HCV-Positive Patients who were given natural Glyconutrient supplements, published in the peer-reviewed Medical Journal "Proceedings of the Fisher Institute For Medical Research", 88% showed improvements in ALT and/or AST, the Liver Enzyme markers which characteristically test abnormal for HCV patients. In addition, 50% of the patients showed marked improvement in fatigue.

Since this study was run, a higher potency Glyconutrient formulation has been developed and is the one that LaDonna used.

We invite you to stay and browse through the other information found on our site. Or perhaps you'd like to speak with us right away, to learn more about glyconutrients and the specifics of LaDonna's nutritritional therapy. Maybe you would like to explore if this therapy might be useful for other disease concerns. If so, please provide an e-mail address in the form below and we would be happy to get back to you with contact information so that we could make arrangements to speak privately with you at your convenience. Important: Please be sure that there are no typos in your e-mail address so that we will be successful in contacting you.

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This web site is here for general purposes only. Nothing on it should be considered as medical advice, which can only be given to you by your own medical doctor. Some information you read on this site may be inappropriate for your own situation, or you may interpret or misinterpret something in a way that could be distressing or harmful to you. For advice about your own situation, ask your doctor!