Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution of HCV genotypes among risk groups in Serbia

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Blood samples from 190 patients that were anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive were genotyped and 165 were found to contain HCV–RNA. Genotyping was performed by PCR based on type-specific primers (117 isolates) and LiPA test (48 isolates) and verifying by sequencing. In Serbia, the most frequent genotype was 1b (49.1%), followed by genotype 3 (21.2%) and genotype 1a (8.5%). The frequency of genotypes 2 and 4 was below 5% and mixed infections were encountered in 9.1% of cases. Distribution of genotypes was monitored in different risk groups: intravenous drug abusers, patients under blood transfusion, patients with previous history of surgery, patients undergoing hemodialysis and those with unknown risk factors. Genotype distribution is essentially the same in all the groups, except for the patients undergoing hemodialysis and those with previous history of surgery where significant difference exists compared with the group with unknown route of transmission (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). There exists significant age-dependent genotype 3 distribution in Serbian population (p < 0.01).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bisceglie AM. Hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 1997; 26: 34S-36S.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Picciano F, Scolastivo C, Glielmo A, Picciano R, Sagnelli E. HBV and HCV chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Res Virol 1997; 148: 135–138.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Tibbs CJ. Method of transmission of hepatitis C. J Virol Hepatol 1997; 2: 113–119.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Noguchi S, Sata M, Suzuki H, Mizokami M, Tanikawa K. Routes of transmission of hepatitis C virus in endemic rural area of Japan-Molecular epidemiological study of hepatitis C virus infection. Scand J Infect Dis 1997; 29: 23–28.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Simmonds P. Variability of hepatitis C Virus. Hepatology 1995; 21: 568–583.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Stuyver L, Wyseur A, Fransc WA, Maertens G. Second-generation line probe assay for hepatitis C virus genotyping. J Clin Microbiol 1996; 34: 2259–2266.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Simmonds P, Alberti A, Alter HJ, et al. A proposed system for the nomenclature of hepatitis C viral genotypes. Hepatology 1994; 19: 1321–1324.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Mellor J, Holmes EC, Jarvis LM, et al. Investigation of the pattern of hepatitis C virus sequence diversity in different geographical region: Implications for virus classification. J Gen Virol 1995; 76: 2493–3507.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Smith DB, Davidson F, Simmonds P. Hepatitis C virus variants and role of genotyping. J Hepatol 1995; 23: 26–31.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Bell H, Hellum K, Harthug S, et al. and the Construct Group. Genotype, viral load and age as independent predictors of treatment outcome of interferon-α2a treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Scand J Infect Dis 1997; 29: 17–22.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Davidson F, Simmons P, Ferguson JC, et al. Survey of major genotypes and subtypes of hepatitis C virus using RFLP of sequences amplified from the 5' non-coding region. J Gen Virol 1995; 76: 1197–1204.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Wong DA, Louis KT, Lim W. High prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotype 6 among certain risk groups in Hong Kong. Eur J Epidemiol 1998; 14: 421–426.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Tokita H, Okamoto H, Luengrojanakul P, et al. Hepatitis C virus variants from Thailand classifiable into five novel genotypes in the sixth (6b), seventh (7c, 7d) and ninth (9b, 9c) major genetic groups. J Gen Virol 1995; 76: 2329–2335.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Okamoto H, Mishiro S. Genetic heterogeneity of hepatitis C virus. Intervirology 1994; 37: 68–76.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Abe K, Tani M, Edamoto Y, et al. Detection of hepatitis C virus genome in paraffin-embedded tissues by nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Int Hepatol Commun 1994; 2: 352–357.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Pisstelo M, Maggi F, Vatteroni L, et al. Prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Italy. J Clin Microbiol 1994; 32: 232–234.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Grassi G, Pozzato G, Moretti M, Giacca M. Quantitative analysis of hepatitis C virus RNA in liver biopsies by competitive reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction. J Hepatol 1995; 23: 403–411.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Ogata N, Alter HJ, Miller RH, Purcell RH. Nucleotide sequence and mutation rate of the H strain of hepatitis C virus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1991; 88: 3392–3396.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Berg T, Hopf U, Stark K, Baumgarten R, Lobeck H, Schreie E. Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in German patients with chronic hepatitis C: Correlation with clinical and virological parameter. J Hepatol 1997; 26: 484–491.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Castelain S, Zawadzki P, Khorsi H, et al. Comparison of hepatitis C virus serotyping and genotyping in French patients. Clin Diagn Virol 1997; 7: 159–165.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Pawlotsky JM, Tsakiris L, Roudot-Thoraval F, et al. Relationship between hepatitis C virus genotypes and sources of infections in patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Infect Dis 1995; 171: 1607–1620.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Viazov S, Kuzin S, Paladi N, et al. Hepatitis C virus genotypes in different regions of the former Soviet Union (Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Uzbekistan). J Med Virol 1997; 53: 36–40.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Basaras M, Lombera N, de las Heras B, Lopez C, Arrese E, Cisterna R. Distribution of HCV genotypes in patients infected by different sources. Res Virol 1997; 148: 367–373.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Guadagnino V, Stroffoloni T, Rapicetta M, et al. Prevalence, risk factors, and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus infection in the general population: A community-based survey in Southern Italy. Hepatology 1997; 26: 1006–1011.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Seme K, Poljak M, Lesnicar G, et al. Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Slovenia. Scand J Infect Dis 1997; 29: 29–31.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Tisminetzky SG, Gerotto M, Pontisso P, et al. Genotypes of hepatitis C virus in Italian patients with chronic hepatitis C. Int Hepatol Commun 1994; 2: 105–112.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Diamantis I, Vafiadis I, Voskaridou E, et al. Genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus infection in Greece: Correlation with different risk factors and response to interferon therapy. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1998; 10: 75–79.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Widell A, Shev S, Mansson S, et al. Genotyping of hepatitis C virus isolates by a modified polymerase chain reaction assay using type specific primers: Epidemiological applications. J Med Virol 1994; 44: 272–279.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Shev S, Widell A, Foberg U, et al. HCV genotypes in Swedish blood donors as correlated to epidemiology, liver disease and hepatitis C virus antibody profile. Infection 1995; 23: 253–257.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Bell H, Hellum K, Harthug S, et al. Prevalence of hepatitis C genotypes among patients with chronic hepatitis C in Norway. Scand J Infect Dis 1996; 28: 357–359.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Silini E, Bono F, Cividini A, et al. Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection among intravenous drug users. J Hepatol 1995; 22: 691–695.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Bravo R, Soriano V, Garcia-Samaniego J, et al. Hepatitis C virus genotypes in different risk populations in Spain. J Infect Dis 1996; 173: 509–510.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Qu D, Li JS, Vitvitski L, et al. Hepatitis C virus genotypes in France: Comparison of clinical features of patients infected with HCV type I and II. J Hepatol 1994; 21: 70–75.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. O'Brien CB, Henzel BS, Wolfe L, Gutekunst K, Moonka D. cDNA sequencing of the 5' noncoding region (5'NCR) to determine hepatitis C genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Dig Dis Sci 1997; 42: 1087–1093.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Hu YW, Balaskas E, Kessler G, et al. Primer specific and mispair extension analysis (PSMEA) as a simple approach to fast genotyping. Nucl Acid Res 1998; 26: 5013–5015.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Holland J, Bastian I, Ratcliff RM, et al. Hepatitis C genotyping by direct sequencing of the product from the Roche amplicor test: Methodology and application to a South Australian population. Pathology 1998; 30: 192–195.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Navas S, Castillo I, Martin J, Quiroga JA, Bartolome J, Carreno V. Concordance of hepatitis C virus typing methods based on restriction fragment length poly-morphism analysis in 5' noncoding region and NS5 serotyping, but not in core PCR or a line probe assay. J Clin Microbiol 1997; 35: 317–321.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Forns X, Maluenda MD, Lopez-Labrador FX, et al. Comparative study of three methods for genotyping hepatitis C virus strains in sample from Spanish patients. J Clin Microbiol 1996; 34: 2516–2521.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Ohno T, Mizokami M, Wu R-R, et al. New hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotyping system that allows for identification of HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 4, 5a and 6a. J Clin Microbiol 1997; 35: 201–207.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Nuclear Sciences ‘Vinca’, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

    G. Stamenkovic, K. Krtolica & B. Dimitrijevic

  2. Institute for Infections and Tropical Diseases, CC Serbia, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

    S. Zerjav & L. Jemuovic

  3. Department of Pathology, Wellington School of Medicine, Wellington, New Zealand

    Z.M. Velickovic

  4. Clinical Hospital Zemun, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

    V. Libek Samardzija

  5. Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

    D. Nozic

Authors
  1. G. Stamenkovic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Zerjav
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Z.M. Velickovic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. Krtolica
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. V. Libek Samardzija
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. L. Jemuovic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. D. Nozic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. B. Dimitrijevic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stamenkovic, G., Zerjav, S., Velickovic, Z. et al. Distribution of HCV genotypes among risk groups in Serbia. Eur J Epidemiol 16, 949–954 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011060505152

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011060505152

Search

Navigation