European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

DISTRIBUTION, PREVALENCE AND PHYLOGENETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF HCV GENOTYPES IN INDIAN CASES: A RECENT CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Hemangi D. Dixit, Shiva V. Murarka, Hari Shankar P.Ray, Bhavini S. Shah, * Sandip C. Shah and Mandava V. Rao

ABSTRACT

Analysis of 1099 referral cases to Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) during 2014-2017 revealed 817 valid genotypes/subtypes with a detection rate of 74.3%. HCV genotypes 1,3 including subtypes 1a,3a subtypes were maximum (31.1%) in 2016 followed by 25% in 2017,23.4% in 2015 and 20.6% in 2014. These infected cases were correlated epidemiologically with prevalence, geographic distribution and other factors like age, gender and viral load in Indian subcontinent. The genotypes of HCV detected were same (1 and 3) and were dominant in old age groups (41-50, 51-60 years) and 3a and 1a subtypes also showed similar pattern as compared to other HCV types. Further, males were significantly (P<0.001) affected by these (1, 3, and 3a, 1a) HCV genotypes. Moreover their prevalence was dominant in Delhi and Gujarat. These genotypes correlated with higher viral load volumes i.e. higher (>500000 IU/ml) and intermediate (100000-500000 IU/ml) levels.Thus, our epidemiological data concluded that India is affected currently by HCV genotypes of 1, 3 and their 3a, 1a subtypes and are well interactive with age, gender and high viral load countsindicating phylogenetic significance. These variations of HCV from genotype to subtypes are well explained by their genetic heterogeneity and other environmental factors. Accordingly typeof hepatic disease and its severity in population differ. The drugs or vaccines related to these changing genotypes and subtypes levels now are refined and suggested to control liver diseases.

Keywords: HCV genotypes/subtypes; Epidemiology; Viral load; Sequencing; Phylogeny; Indian cases.