Current Situation and Trends in the Hepatitis C Virus Genotype Distribution among Injecting Drug Users in the Czech Republic
Authors:
L. Krekulová 1; V. Řehák 1; O. Strunecký 2; V. Němeček 2
Authors‘ workplace:
Remedis, s. r. o., Praha
1; Národní referenční laboratoř pro virové hepatitidy, Státní zdravotní ústav, Praha
2
Published in:
Epidemiol. Mikrobiol. Imunol. 58, 2009, č. 2, s. 84-89
Overview
Study objectives:
To map the current distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes among injecting drug users (IDUs) in the Czech Republic and to compare the results with the previously reported data.
Material and Methods:
Of 766 injecting drug users (IDUs) tested in the Remedis hepatology centre, Prague, in 2005 – 2007, 459 (60 %) were anti-HCV positive, with viral replication detected by PCR in 326 (71 %) of seropositives. PCR products from a randomly selected representative sample of 222 patients were analyzed by sequencing the NS5B region to determine HCV genotypes. Demographic and epidemiological data of the probands were collected by means of an interviewer-assisted questionnare survey.
Results:
Of 222 study subjects, mostly long-term IDUs, including 154 (69 %) males, mean age of 27 years, 131 (61 %) reported opiates and 74 (35 %) metamphetamine as their favourite drugs. Genotypic analysis found genotype 1, the most common one, in 168 (75.5 %) subjects, with slight predominance of subtype 1a, detected in 90 (40.5 %) subjects, over subtype 1b, identified in 78 (35 %) subjects, while genotype 3 was revealed in 52 (23.5 %) IDUs and showed a significant increase in 2007 compared to 2006. The comparison with the control data obtained 5 years earlier showed a substantial rise in the prevalence of genotype 3, previously rare in Czech IDUs, and a significantly increased proportion of subtype 1a among genotype 1 strains. Other genotypes reported from other European countries remain rare in the Czech Republic.
Conclusions:
Significant changes were found in the distribution and dynamics of HCV genotypes in the Czech Republic over the last years that are consistent with the changing route of HCV transmission in which injecting drug use currently plays the major role.
Key words:
hepatitis C - IDU - HCV genotypes.
Sources
1. Czemy, L., Kubicka, L., Nociar, A. Drug Scene in the Czech Republic and Slovakia during the Period of Transformation. Eur Addict Res, 2002,8,159-165.
2. Esteban, J.I., Sauleda, S., Quer, J. The changing epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in Europe. J Hepatol 2008,48(1),148-162.
3. Fried, M.W., Shiffman, M.L., Reddy, K.R. Peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus infection. N Engl J Med 2002,347(13),975-982.
4. Krekulova, L., Rehak, V., Madrigal, N., Johnson, M., Killoran, P., Riley. L.W. Genotypic and epidemiologic characteristics of hepatitis C virus infection among recent injection drug user and nonuser populations, Clin Infect Dis 2001,33,1435-1438.
5. Manns, M.P., McHutchison, J.G., Gordon, S.C., Peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin compared with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C: a randomised trial. Lancet 2001,358(9286),958-965.
6. Morice, Y., Cantaloube, J.F., Beaucourt, S., Barbotte, L., et al. Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus subtype 3a in injecting drug users. J Med Virol 2006,78,1296–1303.
7. Roy, K., Hay, G., Andragetti, R., Taylor, A., et al. Monitoring hepatitis C virus infection among injecting drug users in the European Union: a review of the literature. Epidemiol Infect 2002,129,577–585.
8. Shepard, C.W., Finelli, L., Alter, M.J. Global epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection. Lancet Infect Dis 2005,5,558–567.
9. Schroter, M., Zollner, B., Laufs, R., Feucht, H.H. Changes in the prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotype among injection drug users: a highly dynamic process. J Infect Dis 2004,190,1199–1200.
10. Schroter, M., Zollner, B., Schafer, P., Reimer, A., et al. Epidemiological dynamics of hepatitis C virus among 747 German individuals: new subtypes on the advance. J Clin Microbiol 2002,40,1866–1888.
11. Simmonds, P., Holmes, E.C., Cha, T.A., et al. Classification of hepatitis C virus into six major genotypes and a series of subtypes by phylogenetic analysis of the NS-5 region. J Gen Virol 1993,74(Pt 11),2391-2399.
12. Wiessing, L. European drugs agency highlights trends in drug use and problems affecting drug users. Euro Surveill 2005,10,E051215.
13. Zabransky, T., Mravcik, V., Korcisova, B., Rehak, V. Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Injecting Drug Users in the Czech Republic - Prevalence and Associated Factors. European Addiction Research 2006,12,151-160.
Labels
Hygiene and epidemiology Medical virology Clinical microbiologyArticle was published in
Epidemiology, Microbiology, Immunology
2009 Issue 2
Most read in this issue
- Laboratory Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis
- Effects of Sudden Air Temperature and Pressure Changes on Mortality in the Czech Republic
- Genotypic Heterogeneity of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) from Blood Donors in the Czech Republic
- Alimentary Transmission of Tick-borne Encephalitis in the Czech Republic (1997–2008)