Abstract
Six major Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and hundreds of subtypes have been identified globally. All these genotypes are generally studied for epidemiology, their vaccine development and clinical management. This article comments the frequency distribution of various HCV genotypes circulate in different areas/districts of Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw Province of Pakistan. Sum of 415 HCV RNA PCR positive sera samples were tested by a molecular genotyping assay. Data analysis revealed that out of these 415 HCV RNA positive patients 243 were males and 172 were females. Distribution breakup of the patients was 135, 58, 51, 51, 36, 32, 6, 7and 9 patients come from the districts of Abbottabad, Mardan, Pehawar, Swat, Haripure, Swabi and Dera Ismail Khan, respectively. Out of the tested samples, genotype specific PCR fragments were observed in 299 (74.82%) patient serum samples. The distribution of genotypes of the typeable samples was as fallows: 3 patients (0.72%) each were infected with genotype 1a and genotype 1b; 240 patients (80.26%) of genotype 3a; 25 patients (6.00%) genotype 3b; and 28 patients (6.73%) were observed as with mixed genotypic infection. Sums of 116 serum samples (27.88%) were still found untypeable by the used molecular genotyping system.In conclusion, HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 3a and 3b are distributed in various parts of KPK among which the genotype 3a is the most frequent genotype.
Highlights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is accountable for the second most common cause of viral hepatitis and is one of the most important Flaviviridae infections with significant clinical problems all over the globe in humans [1]
Solid evidence has been established that HCV genotype-2 and genotype-3 infected patents are more likely to have a sustained virological response (SVR) to anti-viral therapy than patients infected with genotype-1 HCV infections [6]
Sampling For the determination of HCV genotyping serum samples were collected along with designed data sheets from patients admitted/attending various tertiary collection centers situated in different districts/parts of Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw (KPK), Pakistan
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is accountable for the second most common cause of viral hepatitis and is one of the most important Flaviviridae infections with significant clinical problems all over the globe in humans [1]. At least six major HCV genotypes and hundreds of subtypes have been identified worldwide so far [2]. Dissimilar HCV genotypes are related to epidemiological studies, response rates to anti-viral treatment, vaccine development and clinical management of the infection [3]. HCV genotype is the strongest foretelling factor for sustained virological response since patients with different HCV genotypes act in response differently to alpha interferon therapy [4,5]. Solid evidence has been established that HCV genotype-2 and genotype-3 infected patents are more likely to have a sustained virological response (SVR) to anti-viral therapy than patients infected with genotype-1 HCV infections [6]. The reported rates of SVR to interferon plus ribavirin
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