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Molecular characterization, distribution, and dynamics of hepatitis C virus genotypes in blood donors in Colombia
Author(s) -
Mora Mónica Viviana Alvarado,
Romano Camila Malta,
GomesGouvêa Michele Soares,
Gutiérrez Maria Fernanda,
Carrilho Flair José,
Pinho João Renato Rebello
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.21908
Subject(s) - genotype , virology , hepatocellular carcinoma , hepatitis c virus , genotyping , ns5b , subtyping , biology , hepatitis c , population , nested polymerase chain reaction , hepacivirus , virus , polymerase chain reaction , medicine , genetics , gene , environmental health , computer science , programming language
Abstract Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a frequent cause of acute and chronic hepatitis and a leading cause for cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV is classified in six major genotypes and more than 70 subtypes. In Colombian blood banks, serum samples were tested for anti‐HCV antibodies using a third‐generation ELISA. The aim of this study was to characterize the viral sequences in plasma of 184 volunteer blood donors who attended the “Banco Nacional de Sangre de la Cruz Roja Colombiana,” Bogotá, Colombia. Three different HCV genomic regions were amplified by nested PCR. The first of these was a segment of 180 bp of the 5′UTR region to confirm the previous diagnosis by ELISA. From those that were positive to the 5′UTR region, two further segments were amplified for genotyping and subtyping by phylogenetic analysis: a segment of 380 bp from the NS5B region; and a segment of 391 bp from the E1 region. The distribution of HCV subtypes was: 1b (82.8%), 1a (5.7%), 2a (5.7%), 2b (2.8%), and 3a (2.8%). By applying Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation, it was estimated that HCV‐1b was introduced into Bogotá around 1950. Also, this subtype spread at an exponential rate between about 1970 to about 1990, after which transmission of HCV was reduced by anti‐HCV testing of this population. Among Colombian blood donors, HCV genotype 1b is the most frequent genotype, especially in large urban conglomerates such as Bogotá, as is the case in other South American countries. J. Med. Virol. 82:1889–1898, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.