Volume : 5, Issue : 7, July - 2016

Study of the Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection in Moradabad (U.P) India

Dr. Ajay Kumar, Dr. B. Kumar

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;Hepatitis C virus (HCV), an important cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, shows a considerable genetic heterogeneity among hepatitis C virus isolates from all over the world. At least six main groups of sequence variants are recognized. The natural history of disease and response to treatment may be related to the genotype of HCV in a particular patient. Antigenic differences between genotypes also have implications for optimal design of serological sequencing and confirmatory assays for HCV. The present study was undertaken with the objective to find out various genotypes of hepatitis C virus prevalent in Indian patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. 360 consecutive newly diagnosed patients with chronic hepatitis C infection were included in the study. Of the 360 patients, genotype 3 was found in 240 (66.6%). Of these 240 patients, 3a was seen in 50 patients (13.8%), 3b in 20 (5.5%) and mixed subtype 3a and 3b in 170 patients (47.2%). Genotype 1 was found in 50 patients (13.8%). 20 patients (5.5%) were infected with genotype 2 (subtype 2a and mixed subtype 2a, 2b respectively). Ten (2.7%) was infected with genotype 4 (4a). Mixed genotype infection was found in 40 patients (11.1%). The present findings showed that genotype 3 of hepatitis C virus was the most prevalent genotype in patients with chronic hepatitis C in Moradabad (U.P) India</p>