Abstract
Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is an issue that is not sufficiently researched and there is a need for studies that would explore this in detail.The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of HCV genotypes in the group of patients with chronic hepatitis C and also in the group of first time blood donors that tested positive for anti HCV antibodies during the blood screening process. Our secondary goal was to compare the proportions of HCV genotypes between these two groups.We analyzed 75 blood samples of patients with confirmed chronic hepatitis C. We also analyzed 13/16082 blood samples of first time blood donors found to be HCV positive during the blood screening process. We also determined HCV genotype in HCV RNA positive samples.We have found that genotype 1b was more prevalent in chronic hepatitis C patients (52/75; 69,3%) than in first time blood donors (6/13; 46,1%), however this difference was not statistically significant (c2=1,721; df=1; p=0,19). Genotype 1a was more prevalent in the group of first time blood donors (3/13; 23,1%) than in the group of chronic hepatitis C patients (3/75; 4%), but this was also with limited statistical significance (c2=3,71; df=1; p=0,054). We have not found any significant difference in prevalence of genotypes 1a (p=0,2) and genotypes 3 (p=0,70) when compared between chronic patients (3/75 and 16/75; respectively) and first time blood donors (3/13 and 4/13; respectively). Our study confirmed domination of genotype 1b in the region of northeastern B&H which is in accordance with HCV genotype prevalence in other countries in our part of Europe.
Highlights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an RNA virus, a member of Flaviviridae family, that has a size of - mm and is classified as a member of hepaciviruses. ( ) It has been discovered in as a cause for post transfusion nonA, non-B hepatitis ( )
Prevalence of HCV genotypes in Bosnia and Herzegovina is an issue that is not sufficiently researched and there is a need for studies that would explore this problem in detail
Our goal was to determine the distribution of HCV genotypes in the group of patients with chronic hepatitis C, treated in University Clinical Center Tuzla and in the group of first time blood donors that tested positive for anti HCV antibodies during the blood screening process
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an RNA virus, a member of Flaviviridae family, that has a size of - mm and is classified as a member of hepaciviruses. ( ) It has been discovered in as a cause for post transfusion nonA, non-B hepatitis ( ). HCV circulates in serum not as a single species but rather as a population of quasispecies with various differences of up to - in viral genome ( , , ). This particular heterogenicity of HCV has an impact on development of chronicity during the natural course of infection since changes in proteins of viral envelope do occur more rapidly under the immunologic pressure. These genetic variations of HCV are the reason for treatment failure. Prevalence of HCV genotypes in Bosnia and Herzegovina is an issue that is not sufficiently researched and there is a need for studies that would explore this problem in detail
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