Screening of hepatitis C virus genotypes in urticaria patients in Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and to determine the HCV genotypes in urticaria patients of Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
After thorough clinical examination by a consultant dermatologist, urticaria patients and individual healthy controls were enrolled. Venous blood collected from subjects was analyzed for LFT (aspartate transaminase [AST], alanine transaminase [ALT], albumin, and bilirubin), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and HCV antibodies--HCV-RNA-PCR screening and genotyping.


RESULTS
Upon enzyme immunoassay (EIA) screening for HCV infection, 5/70 (7.1%) urticaria patients and none among the controls tested positive for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies (p=0.005). Genotyping analysis revealed that HCV belongs to types 3 and 4 with subtypes 3a, 4a, and 4c. No significant variations were seen in the mean serum levels of ALT, AST, albumin, and bilirubin between the patients based on their HCV sero-positivity status.


CONCLUSIONS
This prospective study indicated that HCV infection plays a significant role in urticaria. However, larger studies in different ethnicities could ascertain the association between different HCV genetic variants and the urticaria.
Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine and King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. monahalawani@gmail.com
Mona
M
Halawani
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014581:Urticaria / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*
D012367:RNA, Viral; D012709:Serum Albumin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin