Mboto C I, Fielder M, Davies-Russell A, Jewell A P
Royal Victoria Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.
Br J Biomed Sci. 2010;67(3):140-4. doi: 10.1080/09674845.2010.11730311.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) serotypes are important in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of HCV-related disease, but little is known of this connection in West Africa. Coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study aims to determine the prevalence of HCV and its serotypes associated with HIV in The Gambia. A total of 1500 individuals referred to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital for HIV serology between July and December, 2002 were screened for antibodies to HIV and subsequently for HCV, and seropositive samples were typed. This study shows HIV and HCV prevalence of 6.7% and 1.6%, respectively, with a co-infection rate of 0.6%. Serotype 2 showed the highest prevalence (58.1%), followed by serotype 1 (19.4%). Prevalence of HCV serotype 3 was 6.5% and five samples were untypeable. Co-infection of HIV-1 with HCV serotype 1 showed a prevalence of 44.4%, and with HCV serotype 2 of 33.3%. The findings support the evidence to suggest the West African subregion as the origin of HCV serotype 2. It also demonstrates the need for routine HCV screening of HIV-infected persons and blood donations, and calls for further studies to elucidate the sources of the HCV virus.
丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）血清型在丙型肝炎相关疾病的流行病学和发病机制中具有重要意义，但在西非，人们对这种关联知之甚少。人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）合并感染会导致显著的发病率和死亡率。本研究旨在确定冈比亚HIV合并感染的HCV及其血清型的流行情况。2002年7月至12月期间，共有1500名因HIV血清学检查转诊至皇家维多利亚教学医院的个体接受了HIV抗体筛查，随后接受了HCV筛查，并对血清阳性样本进行了分型。本研究显示，HIV和HCV的流行率分别为6.7%和1.6%，合并感染率为0.6%。2型血清型的流行率最高（58.1%），其次是1型血清型（19.4%）。3型HCV血清型的流行率为6.5%，有5个样本无法分型。HIV-1与1型HCV血清型的合并感染率为44.4%，与2型HCV血清型的合并感染率为33.3%。这些发现支持了西非次区域是2型HCV血清型起源地的证据。它还表明有必要对HIV感染者和献血者进行常规HCV筛查，并呼吁开展进一步研究以阐明HCV病毒的来源。
