title: Common genotypes of Hepatitis B virus prevalent in injecting drug abusers (addicts) of North West Frontier Province of Pakistan.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan. ursmasroor@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Muhammad Masroor
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: Sohail Zahoor
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.forename: Shehzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaukat
authors.forename: Salmaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Mehar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angez
authors.forename: Asif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naeem
authors.forename: Shamim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saleha
authors.forename: Javed Aslam
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.forename: Salman Akbar
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Malik
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens