Analysis of HCV genotypes from blood donors shows three new HCV type 6 subgroups exist in Myanmar.
The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in Myanmar in comparison with the rest of Southeast Asia is not well known. Serum samples were obtained from 201 HCV antibody-positive volunteer blood donors in and around the Myanmar city of Yangon. Of these, the antibody titers of 101 samples were checked by serial dilution using HCV antibody PA test II and Terasaki microplate as a low-cost method. To compare antibody titers by this method and RNA identification, we also checked HCV-RNA using the Amplicor 2.0 test. Most high-titer groups were positive for HCV-RNA. Of the 201 samples, 110 were successfully polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified. Among them, 35 (31.8%) were of genotype 1, 52 (47.3%) were of genotype 3, and 23 (20.9%) were of type 6 variants, and phylogenetic analysis of these type 6 variants revealed that 3 new type 6 subgroups exist in Myanmar. We named the subgroups M6-1, M6-2, and M6-3. M6-1 and M6-2 were relatively close to types 8 and 9, respectively. M6-3, though only found in one sample, was a brand-new subgroup. These subtypes were not seen in Vietnam, where type 6 group variants are widely spread. These findings may be useful for analyzing how and when these subgroups were formed.
Shinji
Toshiyuki
T
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. toshinji@md.okayama-u.ac.jp
Kyaw
Yi Yi
YY
Gokan
Katsunori
K
Tanaka
Yasuhito
Y
Ochi
Koji
K
Kusano
Nobuchika
N
Mizushima
Takaaki
T
Fujioka
Shin-ichi
S
Shiraha
Hidenori
H
Lwin
Aye Aye
AA
Shiratori
Yasushi
Y
Mizokami
Masashi
M
Khin
Myo
M
Miyahara
Masayuki
M
Okada
Shigeru
S
Koide
Norio
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002052:Myanmar / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral