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Genotypes of hepatitis C virus in Guangxi province, southern China
1Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) type II is predominant in Guangxi, China, found in 7 of 9 chronic liver disease patients. This study reveals a lower HCV prevalence but a similar dominant genotype to Japan.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) exhibits diverse genotype prevalence globally.
- Understanding regional HCV genotype distribution is crucial for public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the predominant Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype in patients with chronic liver diseases in Guangxi Province, China.
- To assess the prevalence of HCV infection within this patient cohort.
Main Methods:
- Second-generation enzyme immunoassay was used to detect anti-HCV antibodies.
- Polymerase chain reaction with type-specific primers was employed to identify HCV genotypes from positive samples.
Main Results:
- A low overall prevalence of HCV antibodies (3.0%) was observed in 304 patients with chronic liver diseases.
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype II was predominant, identified in seven out of nine positive cases.
- Two cases presented with a dual infection, involving Hepatitis C virus (HCV) types II and IV.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) type II is the dominant genotype in the Guangxi region of China.
- The prevalence of HCV infection among patients with chronic liver diseases in Guangxi is notably lower than in some other regions.
- Findings suggest a potential epidemiological link with genotype distribution observed in Japan.
Abstract:
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been subdivided into at least four genotypes, and the prevalence of each genotype has been reported to differ widely in different countries. Of 304 patients with chronic liver diseases (68 with chronic hepatitis, 50 with liver cirrhosis and 186 with hepatocellular carcinoma) from Guangxi Province in southern China, only 9 (3.0%) had antibodies to HCV as determined by a second-generation enzyme immunoassay with a cut-off index of 2.0 or more. The HCV genotypes of these nine cases were examined using polymerase chain reaction with type-specific primers deduced from putative core gene. Seven of the nine cases had type II infection and the other two cases showed double infection with types II and IV. These findings indicate that the predominant HCV genotype in the Guangxi area is type II, as is the case in Japan, although the prevalence of HCV infection in patients with chronic liver diseases is much lower.