Frequency of hepatitis c virus genotypes and genotype association with hepatitis c virus load, age and gender : King Hussein Medical Center experience

Abstract EN

Objective : The aim of our study is to identify the frequency of different Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genotypes in hepatitis C virus infected patients at King Hussein Medical Center, Jordan and to find out the association of genotypes with HCV-RNA viral load, age and gender.

Methods : Our study was conducted at Princess Iman Center for research and laboratory sciences King Hussein Medical Center, Jordan in a retrospective manner in the period between January 2018 and September 2018.A total of 187 patients who attended gastroenterology clinics were included in our study with age range between 12 years and 72 years, 47 % (88) of which male and 53 % (99) female.

From each patient 10 ml blood were collected using yellow top gel tube for detection of both HCV-Ab and HCV-RNA.

HCV-RNA concentration was analyzed by real time polymerase chain reaction and genotyped by reverse-hybridization method.

Results: Of the 128 patients with positive anti-HCV antibodies, all (100 %) were positive for HCV-RNA by real time polymerase chain reaction.

The overall genotype frequency showed that 92 (49.2 %) was identified as genotype 1; 78 (41.7 %) genotype 4; eight (4.3 %) genotype 2; six (3.2%) genotype 3, two (1.06 %) genotype 6 and 1(0.54 %) genotype 5.

Subtype 1a was the most prevalent among patients, followed by 4c / d, 4a, 1b, 3a, 2b, 2a, 4h and equally 5a, 6g, 6f.Genotype 4 was the most frequent in 50-59 years (19 of 33) and 12-19 years (six of nine).

Genotype 1 was the most prevalent in other patient age categories 40-49 years (16 of 22), 20-29years (20 of 37) and 30-39 years (28 of 55).Genotype 5a, 6g and 6f were the least common and each found with 0.54 % frequency.

The frequency of genotypes 1, 4, 2, 3 and 6 in male was 22.4 %, 21.2 %, 1.6 %, 1.06 %, 0.54 % respectively.

in female the frequency of genotypes 1, 4, 2, 3, 5 and 6 was 26.5 %, 20.26 %, 2.64 %, 2.1 %, 0.54 %, 0.54 % respectively.

Conclusion: Our study showed HCV genotypes 1and 4 were the most frequent genotype, and comprise over 89 % of all HCV infection.

Genotype 1 was more frequently associated with intermediate or high viral load, whereas genotype 4h and 6g less frequent and associated with low viral load.

Further study at a larger scale is recommended as well as clinical and lab correlations are warranted.