Current Status of Transmission Risk Factors and Genotypes of Hepatitis C Virus, In Punjabi Population of Pakistan

Ghulam Mujtaba, Shah Jahan, Saba Khaliq, Nasir Mahmood, Fouzia Javed, Nakhshab Choudhry, Ayaz Aslam, Tariq Bashir, Mariam Faiz

School of Biological Sciences, University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Department of Immunology, University of Health Sciences Lahore,Pakistan 3Department of Pathology, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore , Pakistan Institutes of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (INMOL), Lahore, Pakistan.

*Corresponding Author: Phone. No: +92-42-99231064 ext. 292, Email: gmuj2006@yahoo.com

Abstract :

HCV a major health problem worldwide has been associated with chronic liver disease. HCV is a blood-borne virus, in different part of the world injection related drug abuse, therapeutic injections, major/minor surgeries, dental treatment and shaving at barber shops have been reported as major risk factors in HCV spread. To study the transmission risk factors and genotype prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in a group of unselected patients from Punjab, Pakistan from January, 2005-November, 2009. Epidemiological information (age, sex, and risk factors etc) was collected from 1266 patients. All of these patients were HCV positive by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). PCR (polymerase chain reaction) qualitative for HCV RNA was performed and genotyping was done on 1024 patients positive for HCV RNA. The predominant genotype found was genotype 3 (3a = 53.7%, 3b = 12.9%) followed by genotype 1 (7.6%), 4 (6.6%), 2 (6.4%), 5a (0.8%) and 6a (0.8%). Most common risk factor among both males and females was a history of therapeutic injections by quacks (44.3%). Genotype 3 was significantly associated with history of therapeutic injections, P < 0.05 (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.21-2.59, P = 0.002). No association was found between other genotypes and the risk factors (P > 0.05). It was concluded that HCV Genotype 3 was significantly associated with history of therapeutic injections, so an emphasis should be given on preventive measures by the medical community, mass media and the government to decrease the prevalence of the risk factors. Keywords: Hepatitis C virus, Polymerase chain reaction, Genotypes, Prevalence, Risk Factors.