Molecular epidemiology of the hepatitis C virus in Western Siberia.
Western Siberia is the region with little information on the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, genotypic diversity of HCV isolates and risk factors. A molecular epidemiological survey was conducted to clarify these issues. Four groups of volunteers were included in a cross-sectional study (n = 500 in each group): health care workers; daycare patients from a hospital for drug users, daycare patients from an AIDS prevention and control center; and persons admitted to a local general practice clinic for any reason (outpatients). The anti-HCV IgG prevalence was 4.6% in health care workers, 48.0% in a narcological center, 35.8% in AIDS center, and 5.6% in outpatients. HCV RNA was found in 79.3%-86.3% of seropositives. A total of 388 HCV isolates were genotyped by direct sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the 5'-UTR and NS5B regions of HCV genome. The genotypes distribution was: 1b--50.3%, 2a--4.4%, 2c--0.3%, 3a--44.8%. One isolate (0.3%) could not be typed unambiguously. This genotypic diversity is intermediate between that of European Russia and China. Genotype 1 prevailed in an older age group (75% among 51-60 years old), and genotype 3 was most prevalent in young people (51.4% in 16-20 years old). A statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in risk was found in intravenous drug users (odds ratio (OR) = 77.5), unemployed persons (OR = 16.3), persons having >4 sexual partners during lifetime (OR = 4.3), and male homosexuals (OR = 6.6).
Shustov
A V
AV
State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector, Koltsovo, Novosibirsk region, Russia. avshusto@utmb.edu
Kochneva
G V
GV
Sivolobova
G F
GF
Grazhdantseva
A A
AA
Gavrilova
I V
IV
Akinfeeva
L A
LA
Rakova
I G
IG
Aleshina
M V
MV
Bukin
V N
VN
Orlovsky
V G
VG
Bespalov
V S
VS
Robertson
B H
BH
Netesov
S V
SV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D012800:Siberia / Q000453:epidemiology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral