2008-05-23 Frequency
distribution of hepatitis C virus
genotypes in different geographical
regions of Pakistan and their
possible routes of transmission-
Author: Muhammad Idrees and Sheikh
Riazuddin Credits/Source: BMC
Infectious Diseases 2008, 8:69...
specific objective of this study was
to find out the frequency of various
HCV genotypes present in
well-characterized Pakistani HCV
isolates and their possible routes
of contamination... More than 70% of
the cases were acquired in hospitals
through reuse of needles/syringes
and major/minor surgery that is very
common in this country.
Frequency distribution of hepatitis
C virus genotypes in different
geographical regions of Pakistan and
their possible routes of
transmission
Information
regarding hepatitis C virus
genotypes and subtypes circulating
in Pakistan and various risk factors
for their transmission are not known
well. The specific objective of this
study was to find out the frequency
of various HCV genotypes present in
well-characterized Pakistani HCV
isolates and their possible routes
of contamination.
Method A total of 3351 serum samples
were tested by type-specific
genotyping assay. Out of 3351 HCV
RNA positive patients, 2039 were
males and 1312 were females.
The 2165 genotyped patients belonged
to Punjab region, 823 patients to
North West Frontier Province, 239 to
Sindh and 124 patients were from
Balochistan.
Results: Out of the total 3351
tested serum samples, type-specific
PCR fragments were observed in 3150
(94.00%) serum samples.
The distribution of genotypes of the
3150 typable samples as determined
by this assay, was as follows: 280
(8.35%) patients were infected with
HCV genotype 1a, 101 (3.01%) with
genotype 1b, 5 (0.15%)
with 1c, 252
(7.52%) with subtype 2a, 27 (0.80%)
with subtype 2b, 3 (0.09%) were with
type 2c, 1664 (49.05%) with
subtype 3a, 592 (17.66%)
with genotype 3b, 25 (0.75%) were
with 3c, 50 (2%)
with genotype 4, 6 (0.18%) with
subtype 5a, 4 (0.12%) with subtype
6a and 161 (4.80%) patients were
infected with mixed infection. Two
hundred and one (6.00%) serum
samples were found untypable by the
present genotyping system.
More than 86% and 72%
patients with genotypes 3a and 3b
respectively had received multiple
injections in past. For
genotypes 1a and 1b
the route of contamination was
major/minor surgery
along with unknown reasons.
Majority of the cases with type
2a, 2b and
indeterminate genotypes were
sporadic. Mixed infections
were common in thalassaemic
patients.
Conclusion: The most common HCV
genotype in Pakistan is type 3a.
Regional difference in genotypes was
observed only in Balochistan
province of Pakistan.
More than 70% of the cases
were acquired in hospitals through
reuse of needles/syringes and
major/minor surgery that is
very common in this country.
Author: Muhammad Idrees and Sheikh
Riazuddin
Credits/Source: BMC Infectious
Diseases 2008, 8:69
Published on: 2008-05-23
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