title: Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection in Northeast India.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to screen the molecular epidemiology of Hepatitis A virus (HAV) in Northeast India (NEI) who are ethnically distinct, tribal dominated and of lower socio-economic status with almost no information available from NEI on these aspects. Briefly, 3 ml blood was collected from 324 random liver disease cases with jaundice, receiving care at Central Hospital, N.F. Railway, Guwahati, Assam with informed consent. The patients detected with HAV-IgM positive status were included and were stratified as acute viral hepatitis (AVH) and fulminant hepatitis (FHF) based on clinical profile. Viral RNA was isolated and HAV-RNA was detected by Real-time PCR using primers for the VP3-VP1 region. HAV genotyping was studied by PCR-direct sequencing-phylogenetic analysis approach using the VP1/2A region of HAV isolates. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS13.0 software. A total of 69 cases were HAV infected with two HBV co-infected cases (n = 69 + 2 = 71), 62 cases and two co-infected cases were AVH and others were FHF cases. HAV infection was predominant in especially in the young and adult age group. HAV-RNA was detected in 28 cases, out of which 19 cases could be genotyped (12 AVH, 7 FHF); which showed the prevalence of genotype IIIA or IA only. Although HAV genotype IIIA was the major genotype in both the AVH (10/12, 83.33%) and FHF (5/7, 71.43%) group, but the difference in distribution of genotypes in AVH and FHF cases was statistically non-significant (P = 0.550). HAV genotype IIIA is associated with the majority of HAV infected cases and severity in NEI.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, India.
authors.forename: Moumita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bose
authors.forename: Sujoy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bose
authors.forename: Anjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saikia
authors.forename: Subhash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Medhi
authors.forename: Manab
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Northeast India; genotype; hepatitis A virus; liver disease; molecular epidemiology