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In 1967, it was reported that experimental inoculation of serum from a surgeon (G.B.) with acute hepatitis into tamarins resulted in hepatitis. In 1995, two new members of the family Flaviviridae, named GBV-A and GBV-B, were identified in tamarins that developed hepatitis following inoculation with the 11th GB passage. Neither virus infects humans, and a number of GBV-A variants were identified in wild New World monkeys that were captured. Subsequently, a related human virus was identified [named GBV-C or hepatitis G virus (HGV)], and recently a more distantly related virus (named GBV-D) was discovered in bats. Only GBV-B, a second species within the genus Hepacivirus (type species hepatitis C virus), has been shown to cause hepatitis; it causes acute hepatitis in experimentally infected tamarins. The other GB viruses have however not been assigned to a genus within the family Flaviviridae. Based on phylogenetic relationships, genome organization and pathogenic features of the GB viruses, we propose to classify GBV-A-like viruses, GBV-C and GBV-D as members of a fourth genus in the family Flaviviridae, named Pegivirus (pe, persistent; g, GB or G). We also propose renaming ‘GB’ viruses within the tentative genus Pegivirus to reflect their host origin.
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Journal of General Virology vol. 92 , part 2, pp. 233 - 246
Supplementary Fig. S1. Alignment of the amino acid sequence of conserved regions of Flaviviridae helicase
Supplementary Fig. S2. Alignment of the amino acid sequence of conserved regions of Flaviviridae RdRp [Single PDF file](132 KB)