Gene Sequencing of Hepatitis C Virus Isolated from Patients with Liver Diseases

Abstract

Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is serious and may lead to death. Venous blood samples were collected from HCV-infected patients (n=60) and from people without infection (n=60) as controls. These patients visited the Digestive System and Liver Disease Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, during the period from 1st February to 1st November 2021. The results revealed no significant difference between males (31; 50.8%) and females(29; 49.2%) HCV-infected patients. The highest infection rate (55.6%) was observed among the 50–78 years age group, then 53.7% among the 25–49 years age group, then 36.7% among the 5–24 years age group with a significant difference (P=0.2). A highly significant difference was observed in the mean glutamic-pyruvic transaminase levels between HCV-infected patients (25.56±12.45) and the controls (17.86±4.91) (P=0.01), and a significant difference was observed in the mean glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase levels between HCV-infected patients (21.70±8.63) and the controls (15.93±4.35) (P=0.02). A highly significant difference was demonstrated in mean alkaline phosphatase levels between HCV-infected patients (362.15±113.60) and controls (197.81±34.70)(P=0.001). Overall, we found that blood markers could aid in disease diagnosis and prognosis rather than mutations within the nonstructural 5A.1 hot spot. The frequency of mutations within this site was found to be very low.