title: Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Tirana, Albania.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide concern. Knowledge of the HCV genotype is clinically important because it predicts the rate of response to therapy and guides the treatment duration. Moreover, it allows molecular epidemiology to be performed. To our knowledge, the prevalence of HCV genotypes has been assessed only once in Albania, using a line probe genotyping assay. We determined HCV genotypes by population sequencing of HCV-infected patients in Tirana, Albania. HCV genotype and sequence analyses were performed for serum samples collected from January 2011 through May 2012 from 61 HCV-seropositive patients using population sequencing of the NS3 protease gene and alternatively the NS5b gene and the 5' untranslated region (UTR). HCV RNA was retrieved from the blood samples of 50 patients. The HCV NS3 protease gene was sequenced for 28 patients and NS5b and/or 5'UTR fragments were sequenced for an additional 22 patients. The predominant genotype was 1b in 25 patients (50%), followed by genotypes 2c, 4a, 3a, and 1a in 18%, 14%, 8%, and 6% of cases, respectively. Best matches for these HCV RNAs in GenBank were obtained in different countries worldwide. One NS3 protease naturally harbored an amino acid conferring minor drug resistance to newly available HCV protease inhibitors. In conclusion, HCV-1b was predominant in the present Albanian population, as in southeastern Europe.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa", Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Migena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haldeda
authors.affiliation: Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, Pôle des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Clinique et Biologique, Fédération de Bactériologie-Hygiène-Virologie, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Timone, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille, 264 rue Saint-Pierre 13385, Marseille Cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baume
authors.affiliation: Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, Pôle des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Clinique et Biologique, Fédération de Bactériologie-Hygiène-Virologie, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Timone, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille, 264 rue Saint-Pierre 13385, Marseille Cedex 05, France; URMITE UM 63 CNRS 7278 IRD 198 INSERM U1905, Aix-Marseille Univ., Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tamalet
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa", Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Melpomeni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bizhga
authors.affiliation: Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, Pôle des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Clinique et Biologique, Fédération de Bactériologie-Hygiène-Virologie, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Timone, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille, 264 rue Saint-Pierre 13385, Marseille Cedex 05, France; URMITE UM 63 CNRS 7278 IRD 198 INSERM U1905, Aix-Marseille Univ., Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Marseille, France. Electronic address: philippe.colson@ap-hm.fr.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colson
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000415:Albania / Q000453:epidemiology; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D012367:RNA, Viral; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
keywords: Albania; HCV NS3 protease; HCV epidemiology; HCV genotype; Hepatitis C