Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes among hemodialysis patients in Tehran—a multicenter study

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus has substantial heterogeneity of genotypes throughout the world. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of HCV genotypes, risk factors and clinical implications in cases of hemodialysis living in Tehran. A total of 155 patients treated by hemodialysis, who had been identified to be anti-HCV positive at 45 medical centers in Tehran, were enrolled. Genotyping was using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) on HCV-RNA positive samples. HCV-RNA was detected in 66 (42.6%) patients. Genotyping of HCV-RNA positive serum samples demonstrated that subtypes 3a and 1a were predominant accounting for 30.3 and 28.8%, respectively. The distribution of other HCV genotypes showed genotype 1b, 18.2%; genotype 4, 16.7%; mixed genotypes 1a and 1b, 3%; and genotype 3b, 3%. Genotype 2 was not detected in this study. Statistically significant differences were identified between HCV infected and non-HCV infected patients regarding history of hemodialysis unit changes more than two times (P = 0.01), and history of hemodialysis for more than 20 years (P = 0.02). However, blood transfusion, mean duration of hemodialysis therapy and the history of solid organ transplantation did not differ between these two groups. This study indicates that the dominant HCV genotypes among patients treated by hemodialysis living in Tehran were 3a and 1a, and considering previous reports from the general population, genotype 4 was strongly associated with hemodialysis. The duration of treatment by hemodialysis and, in turn, more hemodialysis unit changes will lead to more frequent HCV infections.

Molecular Epidemiology of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in Patients with Thalassemia Major in Golestan Province, Iran

“…It was also found as the most prevalent genotype in our study, which is consistent with some other studies in Iran [57][58][59]. However, study of Hosseini-Moghaddam et al on 45 hemodialysis centers in Tehran, revealed that genotypes 3a (30.3%) and 1a (28.8%) were the most prevalent genotypes, followed by genotypes 1b (18.2%), 4 (16.7%) and 3b (3%) [60]. Study of Somi et al in East Azerbaijan reported the frequency of genotypes 1a, 3a and 1b as 74.6, 5.5 and 5.5%, respectively [30].…”

Genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran

“…Genotypes 4 and 1 are generally considered to have the highest prevalence in Arab countries (apart (29). This finding was also confirmed by 2 other studies in this city (30,31). In Isfahan (Central Iran), however, genotype 3a (61.2%) was more prevalent than 1a (29.5%) (32).…”

Hepatitis C Virus Prevalence in Haemodialysis Patients From Three Centers in Baghdad, Iraq: A Survey By Polymerase Chain Reaction and Serological Methods

“…In Turkey, the prevalence of HCV infection among HD has been reported between 31.4% and 51% (Kaya, 2008). In Iran, several studies were done regarding HCV seroprevalence among HD patients (Ansar and Kooloobandi, 2002;Alavian et al, 2003;Amiri et al, 2005;and HosseiniMoghaddam et al, 2006), in the largest study done by Hosseini-Moghaddam and his colleagues in 2006, 45 HD centers were enrolled in the study, including 1914 HD patients, HCV was found in 8.1% of studied population (Hosseini-Moghaddam et al, 2006). The prevalence rates reported are 1%-29% from Western Europe, 8%-36% from North America, 5.9% in Australia, and 44%-60% in Far Eastern countries (Hayat et al, 2010 (33.91 ± 25.75) months.…”