Bhupen Barman1, Kaustubh Bora2, Kryshanlang G Lynrah1, W Valarie Lyngdoh3, Mohammad Jamil1. 1. Department of General Medicine, North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong, Meghalaya, India. 2. ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, N. E. Region, Dibrugarh, Assam; Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong, Meghalaya, India. 3. Department of Microbiology, North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong, Meghalaya, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important cause of chronic liver disease (CLD). Although Northeast India is believed to be a HCV hotspot, the proportion of HCV infection and the distribution of HCV genotypes in CLD cases from the region are not known. The objectives of the study were to determine the proportion of HCV infection in newly diagnosed CLD patients from Meghalaya, Northeast India, and further investigate the HCV genotype distribution in those patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aetiology of CLD was evaluated in 196 newly diagnosed patients, recruited consecutively over a period of 1 year in a medical college hospital from Meghalaya. Those positive for HCV infection were genotyped, and the mode of transmission of the virus was investigated. RESULTS: A considerable proportion (43 patients, 21.9%) of CLD patients were positive for HCV (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16.7%-28.2%). Other leading causes of CLD were alcohol (36.32%) and hepatitis B virus infection (39.3%). Genotype 3 was the most prevalent (48.7%, 95% CI: 33.9%-63.8%), followed by genotype 6 (30.8%, 95% CI: 18.6%-46.6%) and genotype 1 (20.5%, 95% CI: 10.8%-35.5%). The frequency of genotype 6 was remarkably higher than in the other regions of India. Injecting drug use appeared to be the most common mode (28 patients) of acquiring HCV. This was true irrespective of the genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of HCV in newly diagnosed CLD cases from Meghalaya was considerable. The genotype distribution of HCV was distinct from the other regions of India.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important cause of chronic liver disease (CLD). Although Northeast India is believed to be a HCV hotspot, the proportion of HCV infection and the distribution of HCV genotypes in CLD cases from the region are not known. The objectives of the study were to determine the proportion of HCV infection in newly diagnosed CLD patients from Meghalaya, Northeast India, and further investigate the HCV genotype distribution in those patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aetiology of CLD was evaluated in 196 newly diagnosed patients, recruited consecutively over a period of 1 year in a medical college hospital from Meghalaya. Those positive for HCV infection were genotyped, and the mode of transmission of the virus was investigated. RESULTS: A considerable proportion (43 patients, 21.9%) of CLD patients were positive for HCV (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16.7%-28.2%). Other leading causes of CLD were alcohol (36.32%) and hepatitis B virus infection (39.3%). Genotype 3 was the most prevalent (48.7%, 95% CI: 33.9%-63.8%), followed by genotype 6 (30.8%, 95% CI: 18.6%-46.6%) and genotype 1 (20.5%, 95% CI: 10.8%-35.5%). The frequency of genotype 6 was remarkably higher than in the other regions of India. Injecting drug use appeared to be the most common mode (28 patients) of acquiring HCV. This was true irrespective of the genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of HCV in newly diagnosed CLD cases from Meghalaya was considerable. The genotype distribution of HCV was distinct from the other regions of India.
Authors: Mary A Rodgers; Selvamurthi Gomathi; Ana Vallari; Shanmugam Saravanan; Gregory M Lucas; Shruti Mehta; Sunil S Solomon; Gavin A Cloherty Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2020-04-29 Impact factor: 4.379