Woodfield D G, Harness M, Rix-Trott K, Tsuda F, Okamoto H, Mayumi M
Department of Transfusion Medicine, Regional Blood Centre, Auckland, New Zealand.
Aust N Z J Med. 1994 Feb;24(1):47-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1994.tb04425.x.
Hepatitis C virus infections are known to be common in injectable drug users (IDU) both in New Zealand and overseas. Little is known of the hepatitis C genotype frequency in this population.
To confirm the high incidence of hepatitis C virus infections in IDU and compare this with the frequency in oral drug users (ODU) as well as identify the pattern of hepatitis C genotypes present.
Use was made of an experimental nucleocapsid assay as well as a conventional anti-HCV assay. HCV-RNA was identified using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and a variation of this method was used for HCV genotyping.
Seventy-four per cent of IDU were reactive for anti-HCV in both types of assay. PCR testing detected several more reactive samples. Dominant genotypes were Types I and V, but Type IV was not detected. Mixed infections were noted in some patients. There was a low frequency of anti-HCV in ODU.
Hepatitis C virus infections are a problem in IDU in New Zealand, and additional public health measures may be required. The distribution of genotypes of HCV-RNA are similar to those seen in other Western countries.
在新西兰及海外，丙型肝炎病毒感染在注射吸毒者中较为常见。对于该人群中丙型肝炎病毒基因型频率的了解甚少。
确认注射吸毒者中丙型肝炎病毒感染的高发病率，并将其与口服吸毒者的感染频率进行比较，同时确定所存在的丙型肝炎病毒基因型模式。
采用了一种实验性核衣壳检测方法以及传统的抗丙型肝炎病毒检测方法。使用聚合酶链反应（PCR）技术鉴定丙型肝炎病毒核糖核酸（HCV-RNA），并采用该方法的一种变体进行丙型肝炎病毒基因分型。
在两种检测方法中，74%的注射吸毒者抗丙型肝炎病毒呈阳性。PCR检测发现了更多呈阳性反应的样本。主要基因型为I型和V型，但未检测到IV型。在一些患者中发现了混合感染。口服吸毒者中抗丙型肝炎病毒的频率较低。
丙型肝炎病毒感染在新西兰的注射吸毒者中是一个问题，可能需要采取额外的公共卫生措施。丙型肝炎病毒核糖核酸基因型的分布与其他西方国家相似。
