FLICKR, IQBAL OSMANUsing modern sequencing techniques to study blood samples taken more than 30 years ago, researchers have identified a new virus with similarities to hepatitis C and human pegivirus (formerly hepatitis G). Further analysis of more recent samples revealed that many of the people who were infected had cleared the virus. And even those who didn’t were apparently unaffected by the virus. The group published its results this week (September 22) in mBio.
While this elegant and valuable work serves to emphasize the power of modern deep sequencing technology in identifying new viruses, the role of this new virus in liver and other diseases remains to be elucidated,” virologist Michael Houghton of the University of Alberta in Edmonton who was not involved in the research told Science in an email. Virologist Amit Kapoor of Columbia University decided to examine the old blood samples, collected between 1974 and 1980 from patients before and after they received a blood transfusion, because he figured he might find something new. Fewer policies existed in the 1970s to determine who can donate blood and the blood itself underwent a less rigorous screening process. “I thought if I want to know whatever is circulating ...
