Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Punjab region, Pakistan, based on a study of 4177 specimens

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution genetics and evolution, 2021-07, Vol.91, p.104811-104811, Article 104811
• Main Authors: Hussain, Nazim, Bungau, Simona, Behl, Tapan, Sehgal, Aayush, Mahmood, Maheen, Manzoor, Sadia, Qayyum, Muhammad Abdul, Khan, Muhammad Imran, Moleriu, Lavinia Cristina, Bilal, Muhammad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Genotype; Genotypic distribution; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - virology; Hepatitis C virus; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Middle Aged; Pakistan - epidemiology; Prevalence; Seropositive patients; Untypable genome; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104811

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a heterogenetic infectious agent that affects a huge proportion of population around the globe. Diverse distribution of multiple subtypes of HCV makes it mandatory and remarkably imperative to understand the genotypic distribution in target population. It could serve as an indictive guideline for the improvement of diagnostic methodologies, and development of effective therapies against this viral infection, in order to improve the infected patients' quality of life. This study included HCV infected patients presented to the diagnostic facility of the Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of Punjab, Lahore, between 2016 and 2019. During the 4 years of study, samples were collected from 4177 subjects. Our data revealed no significant differences regarding the prevalence of various genotypes between genders in the adult population. Genotyping was carried out by following the Ohno protocol. The obtained results shown that genotype 3a is the most frequent genotype and accounts for 66.29% of cases. Among other genotypes, 1a is 2.11%, 1b is 0.07%, 3b is 1.89%, 5a is 0.02%, while genome of 28.23% patients was untypable; 1.22% of the samples were non-detectable as viremic. An important concern is that this untypable genome in HCV infected patients may indicate possible mutation of HCV. •The Centre for Applied Molecular Biology was presented with 4177 subjects between 2016 and 2019.•Samples were derived for genotyping by Ohno protocol.•There is no gender-wise difference in the detection percentage.•The genotype 3a was most significantly prevalent regardless of age and gender.•The frequency of individuals infected with untypable HCV is high and varies over the study period.