title: Genotype analysis of hepatitis C virus among blood donors and inmates in Metro Manila, The Philippines.
abstract: Antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) were detected in 18 (2.3%) of 800 sera from commercial blood donors and 23 (4.6%) of 502 sera from inmates in Metro Manila, the Philippines. The difference in the antibody prevalence between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). HCV RNA was detected in 14 (78%) of the 18 antibody-positive sera from blood donors and 19 (83%) of the 23 antibody-positive sera from inmates. Genotype analysis revealed that HCV-2a (7%). Among inmates, on the other hand, HCV-1a (68%) was most common, followed by HCV-1b (11%), HCV-2a (5%) and HCV-2b (5%). Overall, HCV-1a and HCV-1b appeared to be predominant among them. Thus, the genotype prevalence in the Philippines was distinct from those in other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, and also distinct from those in the Far East including Taiwan, Mainland China and Japan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Barzaga
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alipio
authors.lastname: Soetjipto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishido
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hotta
mesh_terms: D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D001782:Blood Donors; D005202:Asia, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral