Common genotypes of Hepatitis B virus prevalent in injecting drug abusers (addicts) of North West Frontier Province of Pakistan.
BACKGROUND
The epidemiological significance of Hepatitis B virus genotypes has been well established and becoming an essential concern day by day however, much little is known about the mixed infection with more than one Hepatitis B virus genotypes and their clinical relevance.


METHODS
Intravenous drug abusers are considered as a major risk group for the acquisition and transmission of blood borne infections like hepatitis B, however, in Pakistan, no such data has ever been reported about the epidemiology of HBV and its genotypes in Injecting Drug Users. 250 individuals were analyzed for hepatitis B virus genotypes after prior screening with serological assay for the detection of HBsAg.


RESULTS
56 (22.4%) individuals were found positive on ELSIA for HBsAg. The genotype distribution was found to be as: genotype D, 62.5%; genotype A, 8.92% while 28.57% individuals were found to be infected with a mixture of genotype A and D.


CONCLUSIONS
There is an urgent need of the time to develop public health care policies with special emphasis towards the control of HBV transmission through high risk groups especially Injecting Drug Users.
Alam
Muhammad Masroor
MM
Department of Virology, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan. ursmasroor@yahoo.com
Zaidi
Sohail Zahoor
SZ
Shaukat
Shehzad
S
Sharif
Salmaan
S
Angez
Mehar
M
Naeem
Asif
A
Saleha
Shamim
S
Butt
Javed Aslam
JA
Malik
Salman Akbar
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens