Hepatitis C Virus NS5B Sequence-Based Genotyping Analysis of Patients From the Sharkia Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

BackgroundChronic hepatitis C virus infection and its sequela are major health problems facing the Egyptian community. The high prevalence and spread rates of the disease require serious actions to stop or decrease these rates. Determination of HCV genotypes and subgenotypes adds significant knowledge about the epidemiology of the disease, and provides an added value in the decision making process of what strategy to follow and what therapy response to expect. The molecular epidemiology and genetic variability of HCV variants circulating in Egypt still need further analysis.ObjectivesThe study was held to evaluate the genotype and subgenotype of the hepatitis c virus circulating in Sharkia as one of the large governorates of Egypt, which was not included in any study for genotyping of the virus before.Patients and MethodsThe HCV molecular epidemiology in Sharkia governorate was studied using direct sequencing and further phylogenetic analysis of a partial NS5B region of the HCV genome from 63 patients. HCV genotype and subtype were successfully determined in 62 out of 63 patients.ResultsThe highest prevalent genotype was genotype 4a, which was found in 57 patients (92%) followed by 2 isolates (3%) with genotype 4o, 2 strains (3%) with genotype 1g and one isolate (2%) with genotype 4n.ConclusionsThis molecular epidemiology study revealed high prevalence of HCV genotype 4, subtype 4a among Egyptian patients residing in Sharkia governorate, Egypt.

5′ UTR and NS5B-based genotyping of hepatitis C virus in patients from Damietta governorate, Egypt

“…In Ismailia governorate, subtype 4a was the predominant subtype, followed by subtype 1g, and subtype 4o [16] . In Sharkia governorate, the prevalent subtype was 4a, followed by 4o, 1g and 4n [14] . The predominant subtype was 4a, followed by subtype 4m, 4o, 4n and 4p in Alexandria governorate [39] .…”

“…HCV subtype 4a became epidemic and extensively distributed in Egypt due to the unsafe injections during the anti-schistosomal public health campaigns in the past [13] . Subtype 4a has been reported as the predominant subtype in Egypt in some studies [14] , [15] , [16] , while infection with genotype 1 was thought to never exceed 10% [15] . In Egypt, an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly associated with the infection with HCV subtype 4o [17] .…”

Frequency and Mutation Patterns of Resistance in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Infection Treated with Nucleos(t)ide Analogs in Add-On and Switch Strategies

“…You may emphasize on the prevalence of hepatitis B and C infection together with their diagnostic and preventive methods in layman terms (21). Subsequently, you can refer to campaigns of screening and vaccination in the past or near future.…”

<p>Molecular Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus for Developed Antiviral Agents Resistance Mutations and New Insights into in-silico Prediction Studies</p>

“…The predominance of genotype 4a in our study is supported by the results obtained in many previous studies in different Egyptian governorates. 17–19 …”