Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
Department of Biotechnology, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta, Pakistan.
Afr Health Sci. 2020 Sep;20(3):1143-1152. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v20i3.16.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is considered as "Viral Time Bomb" suggested by the World Health Organization and if it is not treated timely, it will lead towards cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
The purpose of the present research is to study possible risk factors, frequent genotypes of HCV and its association with different age groups.
Suspected blood samples from HCV patients were collected from different hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. Out of 1000 HCV suspected samples, 920 samples were found HCV positive detected by Anti-HCV ELISA, CobasR. kit. The quantification of HCV load was determined by HCV quantification kit and LINEAR ARRAY KIT (Roche) was used for genotype determination by Real-Time PCR (ABI). Statistical analysis was done by using Microsoft Excel.
Out of 920 subjects, 77 subjects (8.4%) were false positive and they were not detected by nested PCR. Three PCR positive samples were untypeable. Genotype 3 was predominant in Lahore which was 83.5%, whereas type 1 and 2 were 5.1% and 0.7% respectively. There were also mixed genotypes detected, 1 and 3 were 0.4%, 2 and 3 were 1.41% and 3 and 4 were 0.2% only. Male were more infected of HCV in the age <40 years and females >40years.
The major risk factor for HCV transmission is by use of unsterilized razors/blades. It is necessary to spread awareness among the general population of Pakistan about HCV transmission risk factors. Regular physical examination at least once a year is recommended, so that early detection of HCV could be done.
世界卫生组织（WHO）将丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）称为“病毒定时炸弹”，如果不及时治疗，它将导致肝硬化和肝细胞癌（HCC）。
本研究旨在探讨丙型肝炎的可能危险因素、常见基因型及其与不同年龄组的关系。
从巴基斯坦拉合尔的不同医院收集疑似丙型肝炎病毒患者的血液样本。在 1000 份 HCV 疑似样本中，有 920 份样本经抗 HCV ELISA、CobasR 试剂盒检测为 HCV 阳性。通过 HCV 定量试剂盒确定 HCV 载量，采用实时 PCR（ABI）的 LINEAR ARRAY KIT（罗氏）确定基因型。统计分析采用 Microsoft Excel。
在 920 例患者中，有 77 例（8.4%）为假阳性，经巢式 PCR 检测未检出。有 3 个 PCR 阳性样本无法分型。在拉合尔，基因型 3 最为常见，占 83.5%，而基因型 1 和 2 分别为 5.1%和 0.7%。还检测到混合基因型，1 型和 3 型为 0.4%，2 型和 3 型为 1.41%，3 型和 4 型为 0.2%。男性在<40 岁时感染 HCV 的比例高于女性，而女性在>40 岁时感染 HCV 的比例高于男性。
HCV 传播的主要危险因素是使用未经消毒的剃须刀/刀片。有必要在巴基斯坦民众中普及 HCV 传播风险因素的相关知识。建议每年至少进行一次常规体检，以便及早发现 HCV。
