Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes among different exposure categories in the State of Pará, Brazilian Amazon

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Leila Sawada, Andréia Cristina Costa Pinheiro, Daiane Locks, Adriana do Socorro Coelho Pimenta, Priscila Rocha Rezende, Deborah Maia Crespo, José Ângelo Barletta Crescente, José Alexandre Rodrigues de Lemos, Aldemir Branco de Oliveira Filho
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2011
• Subjects: HCV; Genótipo; Grupo de risco; Pará; Amazônia Brasileira; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822011000100003; https://doaj.org/article/9f63400927634626a21788593918dc56

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological studies concerning HCV genotypic distribution in the Brazilian Amazon are scarce. Thus, this study determined the patterns of distribution of HCV genotypes among different exposure categories in the State of Pará, Brazilian Amazon. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 312 HCV-infected individuals belonging to different categories of exposure, who were attended at the HEMOPA, CENPREN and a private hemodialysis clinic in Belém. They were tested for HCV antibodies using an immunoenzymatic test, RNA-HCV, using real-time PCR and HCV genotyping through phylogenetic analysis of the 5' UTR. The population groups were epidemiologically characterized according to data collected in a brief interview or medical consultation. RESULTS: Genotype 1 predominated in all the different categories of HCV exposure. HCV genotypic distribution among blood donors comprised genotypes 1 (94%) and 3 (6%). All patients with chronic hematologic diseases had HCV genotype 1. The genotypic distribution in illicit-drug users comprised genotypes 1 (59.6%) and 3 (40.4%). In patients under hemodialysis, genotypes 1 (90.1%), 2 (3.3%), and 3 (6.6%) were detected. Finally, the frequency of genotypes 1 and 3 was significantly different between the groups: BD and DU, PUH and DU, PUH and PCHD and PCHD and DU. CONCLUSIONS: The genotypic frequency and distribution of HCV in different categories of exposure in the State of Pará showed a predominance of genotype 1, regardless of the possible risk of infection.