Frequency and Genotype Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus in Pakistan
Frequency and Genotype Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus in Pakistan
Rimsha Ijaz, Rida Zahra, Naseer Ali Shah*, Haroon Ahmed, Nazish Bostan and Sadia Sattar
ABSTRACT
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is one of the major cause of morbidity and mortality which imparts serious threats to people around the world. The principal causes of hepatitis C disease transmission in Pakistan, a developing country with a high incidence rate, are unscreened blood transfusions, unsterilized surgical instruments, and unsafe injections. Globally a total of about 170 million people have been afflicted with this malady per year and affects approximately (6%) of Pakistan’s population. HCV is RNA virus and there are seven primary genotypes and 67 subtypes in it. Determination of genotype is important for treatment and medication response. This study aimed to calculate the frequency of HCV infection and pattern of genotype distribution in suspected individuals of Pakistan. Samples were gathered in between 2018 to 2021 from three different biomedical laboratories for this study. A total of 4827 suspected individuals were tested, with 2088 (43.2%) of them tested positive for HCV antibodies. Samples were tested against anti-HCV antibodies through PCR and genotype is identified through genotyping method. In the HCV positive sample, genotype 3a was the most common genotype, accounting for 652 (76.3%) of the infected people. Given the enormous morbidity and mortality caused by HCV, having precise detection methods that allow for early diagnosis and care for better outcomes is critical.
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