Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, China.
J Clin Virol. 2012 Jul;54(3):207-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2012.04.017. Epub 2012 May 16.
HCV transmission is closely associated with injection drug use (IDU), and co-circulation of multiple subtypes has been found among injection drug users (IDUs) in China.
To investigate HCV subtype characterizations among IDUs and general population (GP) in Suzhou, a city at the important "Hu-ning" transportation line.
During January 2010 to May 2011, 123 HCV positive plasma from IDUs and 131 stored HCV positive sera from general individuals were collected in Suzhou. HCV C/E2 and NS5B fragments were amplified using a new multiple RT-nested PCR strategy and subsequent sequenced. Genotypes were characterized by phylogenetic analyses.
Eight HCV subtypes (1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, 3b, 6a, 6n, and 6u) were detected among Suzhou IDUs, and six subtypes (1b, 2a, 3a, 3b, 6a and 6n) among GP. HCV subtype distribution is distinct between IDUs and GP. Interestingly, we detected discrepancy of genotyping results between C/E2 and NS5B regions in one general individual, indicating the presence of HCV intersubtype recombinant in China. The recombinant belongs to a 3a/1b recombinant. We also detected dual infections in one general individual and two IDUs. They include dual infections between 1b and 3a, 3a and 6a, and two distinct lineages of 3b.
Complex patterns of HCV epidemic among IDUs, as well as GP, in Suzhou, might imply a spread of HCV from IDUs to GP. The finding of one HCV 3a/1b intersubtype recombinant might represent the first report of HCV recombination in China.
HCV 传播与注射吸毒（IDU）密切相关，在中国 IDU 中已发现多种亚型共同流行。
调查中国苏州市 IDU 和一般人群（GP）中 HCV 亚型特征。
2010 年 1 月至 2011 年 5 月，在苏州收集了 123 例 IDU 阳性血浆和 131 例储存的 HCV 阳性血清。使用新的多重 RT-巢式 PCR 策略扩增 HCV C/E2 和 NS5B 片段，并随后进行测序。通过系统发育分析对基因型进行特征描述。
在苏州 IDU 中检测到 8 种 HCV 亚型（1a、1b、2a、3a、3b、6a、6n 和 6u），在 GP 中检测到 6 种亚型（1b、2a、3a、3b、6a 和 6n）。IDU 和 GP 之间 HCV 亚型分布存在明显差异。有趣的是，我们在一名 GP 个体中检测到 C/E2 和 NS5B 区域基因分型结果不一致，表明中国存在 HCV 亚型内重组。该重组属于 3a/1b 重组。我们还在一名 GP 和两名 IDU 中检测到双重感染。它们包括 1b 和 3a、3a 和 6a 之间的双重感染，以及 3b 的两个不同谱系。
在苏州 IDU 和 GP 中 HCV 流行存在复杂模式，这可能表明 HCV 从 IDU 传播到 GP。发现一种 HCV 3a/1b 亚型内重组可能代表中国 HCV 重组的首次报告。
