Abstract

SULBARAN, María Zulay et al. Molecular characterization of hepatitis C virus in patients referred to a reference laboratory of public health, University Hospital “Antonio Patricio de Alcalá”, Cumaná, Venezuela. Invest. clín [online]. 2016, vol.57, n.1, pp.13-24. ISSN 0535-5133.

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 170 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study evaluated the presence of antibodies against HCV by two immunoassays. HCV genotypes were analyzed by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome fragments amplified from the 5 ‘non-coding (5’NC) region and non-structural region 5b (NS5b), using reverse transcription and nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in patients referred from January 2010 to February 2013 to the Reference Laboratory of Public Health, University Hospital “Antonio Patricio de Alcalá”. The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 0.57% (17/3005), being the group of patients older than 41 years the most affected (0.9%). A total of 16 samples were found positive for HCV RNA by RT-PCR in the 5’NC region (16/17, 94%). Phylogenetic analysis of the 5´NC region allowed to identify the circulation of genotypes 2 and 1, and one genotype 3 and one 4. By phylogenetic analysis of the NS5b region, diverse subtypes of HCV genotype 2 were identified (2a, 2j and 2s). This finding is in accordance with previous studies that indicate that this genotype is relatively diverse in our country.

Keywords : VHC; ELISA; 5’NC; NS5b; genotypes.

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