title: Genotypes and viral load of hepatitis C virus among persons attending a voluntary counseling and testing center in Ethiopia.
abstract: The prevalence of different genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Ethiopia is not known. HCV genotypes influence the response to therapy with alpha-interferon alone or in combination with ribavirin. A cross sectional study was conducted on attendees of voluntary counseling and testing center. Serum samples from 1,954 (734 HIV positive and 1,220 HIV negative) individuals were screened for HCV antibody. Active HCV infection was confirmed by quantitative PCR in 18 of the 71 samples with anti-HCV antibodies. The HCV viral load ranged from 39,650 to 9,878,341 IU/ml (median 1,589,631 IU/ml) with no significant difference [χ(2)(17) = 18.00, P = 0.389] between persons positive or negative for HIV. The viral load of HCV was, however, higher in older study subjects (r = 0.80, P = 0.000). HCV genotypes were determined using the VERSANT HCV Genotype Assay (LiPA) and sequence analysis of the NS5b region of the HCV genome. Diverse HCV genotypes were found including genotypes 1, 2, 4, and 5. There was no difference in the distribution regarding the HIV status. As in other parts of the world, genotyping of HCV must be considered whenever HCV is incriminated as a cause of hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. tesfay95@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tesfay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abreha
authors.forename: Yimtubezinash
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Woldeamanuel
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pietsch
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Asrat
authors.forename: Almaz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.forename: Bereket
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hailegiorgis
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aseffa
authors.forename: Uwe Gerd
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Liebert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058889:Molecular Typing; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019562:Viral Load; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C087036:NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase