FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS GENOTYPES AMONG CHRONIC HCV PATIENTS IN PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the distribution frequency of different genotypes of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) at Gene Tech Laboratory, Peshawar.

METHODS: A total of 385 patients were consecutively included in the study after meeting the inclusion criteria from January to December 2017. RNA was extracted from the serum of the patients by using Favor Prep TM viral RNA extraction Kit according to protocols of manufacturer. Complementary DNA (cDNA) was synthesized by incubating 10µl of the extracted RNA with core region specific primer, 200U of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus reverse transcriptase (MMLV RTase), dNTPs and ddH2O at 37°C for 50 minutes. The synthesized cDNA was amplified with both sense and antisense primers for qualitative detection. Genotyping of HCV was carried out by using type specific method of HCV genotyping.

RESULTS: All the tested 385 samples were positive for HCV RNA, in which 200 (51.9 %) were female and 185 (48.1 %) were male. We have detected only three genotypes with highest frequency of 3a (78.7%) followed by 1a (5.9%) and 3b (0.2%). Whilst, 58 cases (15.1%) were untypable by the given method.

CONCLUSION: The distribution frequency of different HCV genotypes was concluded with highest dominance of 3a, ensue by untypable genotypes, 1a and 3b.