title: Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Myanmar.
abstract: Myanmar is adjacent to India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and China. In Myanmar, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is 2%, and HCV infection accounts for 25% of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we reviewed the prevalence of HCV genotypes in Myanmar. HCV genotypes 1, 3 and 6 were observed in volunteer blood donors in and around the Myanmar city of Yangon. Although there are several reports of HCV genotype 6 and its variants in Myanmar, the distribution of the HCV genotypes has not been well documented in areas other than Yangon. Previous studies showed that treatment with peginterferon and a weight-based dose of ribavirin for 24 or 48 wk could lead to an 80%-100% sustained virological response (SVR) rates in Myanmar. Current interferon-free treatments could lead to higher SVR rates (90%-95%) in patients infected with almost all HCV genotypes other than HCV genotype 3. In an era of heavy reliance on direct-acting antivirals against HCV, there is an increasing need to measure HCV genotypes, and this need will also increase specifically in Myanmar. Current available information of HCV genotypes were mostly from Yangon and other countries than Myanmar. The prevalence of HCV genotypes in Myanmar should be determined.
authors.affiliation: Nan Nwe Win, Shingo Nakamoto, Hiroshi Shirasawa, Department of Molecular Virology, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
authors.forename: Nan Nwe
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Win
authors.affiliation: Nan Nwe Win, Shingo Nakamoto, Hiroshi Shirasawa, Department of Molecular Virology, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.affiliation: Nan Nwe Win, Shingo Nakamoto, Hiroshi Shirasawa, Department of Molecular Virology, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamoto
authors.affiliation: Nan Nwe Win, Shingo Nakamoto, Hiroshi Shirasawa, Department of Molecular Virology, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yokosuka
authors.affiliation: Nan Nwe Win, Shingo Nakamoto, Hiroshi Shirasawa, Department of Molecular Virology, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shirasawa
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D002052:Myanmar / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin
keywords: Direct-acting antivirals; Genotypes; Hepatitis C virus; Interferon-free; Myanmar