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Genotyping of hepatitis C virus in the Dominican Republic
A Nishizono1, H Terao, R Shutoh
1Department of Microbiology, Oita Medical University, Japan.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotyping in the Dominican Republic revealed genotype 1a/I as the most prevalent. This study also identified a significant proportion of patients with mixed HCV genotypes.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Hepatology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health concern.
- Understanding HCV genotypes is crucial for effective treatment and epidemiological surveillance.
- Limited data exists on HCV genotypes prevalent in the Dominican Republic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in liver disease patients in the Dominican Republic.
- To identify the most common HCV genotype and assess the prevalence of mixed infections.
Main Methods:
- HCV antibody-positive samples (n=84) were confirmed using ELISA, particle agglutination, and recombinant immunoblot assay III.
- HCV genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with type-specific primers targeting the nonstructural protein 5 region.
Main Results:
- Hepatitis C virus genotype 1a/I was the most frequent, detected in 50 (59%) of the samples.
- Other detected genotypes included 1b/II (3.6%), 2a/III (7.1%), 2b/IV (2.4%), and 3a/V (2.4%).
- Mixed genotype populations were found in 16 (19%) of the samples.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis C virus genotype 1a/I is highly prevalent in the Dominican Republic.
- The high detection rate of mixed HCV genotypes warrants further investigation into potential contributing factors and clinical implications.
Abstract:
Genotyping of hepatitis C virus (HCV) of liver disease patients in the Dominican Republic was performed. Eighty-four samples positive for HCV antibody, which were confirmed by ELISA, particle agglutination, and recombinant immunoblot assay III tests, were subjected to HCV genotyping by polymerase chain reaction using type-specific primers located in the nonstructural protein 5 region. Of the 84 samples tested, 50 (59%) were found to have genotype 1a/I and this genotype was the most frequent type detected in the present study. The numbers of isolates of genotypes 1b/II, 2a/III, 2b/IV, and 3a/V were three (3.6%) six (7.1%), two (2.4%), and two 2.4%), respectively. The number of samples having mixed genotype populations was 16 (19%). The possible causes of the high prevalence of genotype 1a/I in the Dominican Republic compared with other countries and of the high detection ratio of samples having mixed genotypes are discussed.