title: Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Pakistan: a systemic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Phylogenetic analysis has led to the classification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) into 1-6 major genotypes. HCV genotypes have different biological properties, clinical outcome and response to antiviral treatment and provide important clues for studying the epidemiology, transmission and pathogenesis. This article deepens the current molecular information about the geographical distribution of HCV genotypes and subgenotypes in population of four provinces of Pakistan. 34 published papers (1996-2011) related to prevalence of HCV genotypes/serotypes and subgenotypes in Pakistan were searched.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCV genotype/s distribution from all 34 studies was observed in 28,400 HCV infected individuals in the following pattern: 1,999 (7.03%) cases of genotype 1; 1,085 (3.81%) cases of genotype 2; 22,429 (78.96%) cases of genotype 3; 453 (1.59%) cases of genotype 4; 29 (0.10%) cases of genotype 5; 37 (0.13%) cases of genotype 6; 1,429 (5.03%) cases of mixed genotypes, and 939 (3.30%) cases of untypeable genotypes. Overall, genotype 3a was the predominant genotype with a rate of 55.10%, followed by genotype 1a, 3b and mixed genotype with a rate of 10.25%, 8.20%, and 5.08%, respectively; and genotypes 4, 5 and 6 were rare. Genotype 3 occurred predominately in all the provinces of Pakistan. Second more frequently genotype was genotype 1 in Punjab province and untypeable genotypes in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
authors: Department of Zoology, Islamia College (Public Sector University) Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. attasobia@yahoo.com
authors: Sobia
authors: S
authors: Attaullah
authors: Sanaullah
authors: S
authors: Khan
authors: Ijaz
authors: I
authors: Ali
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D058889:Molecular Typing; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral