Department of Life Sciences

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Browsing Department of Life Sciences by Subject "HCV Infection"

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    Prevalence of Untypable HCV Variants in Different Districts of Punjab, Pakistan and a Case Report of its Treatment Strategy
    (University of Management and Technology, 2017) Zafar, Ayesha
    In Pakistan, around 11 million people are HCV infected with 6 circulating genotypes and subtypes in Pakistan and the viral burden is still on rise. HCV genotype determination is necessary to help the health care facilitators for recommending the appropriate antiviral therapy. This large scale study was carried out to investigate the epidemiological distribution of genotypes in different districts of Punjab, Pakistan and focuses on prominently increasing one (diagnostically untypable) and its possible antiviral therapy. We have also characterized an untypable HCV variant by sequence and phylogenetic analysis that showed the greatest homology of untypable HCV variant with 3a genotype from Pakistan (Unpublished data). A case study has been followed up with untypable HCV genotype for 24 weeks. Of the 8353 patients enrolled in study, the genotype 3 and subtype 3a (n= 6650, 79.6%) was most significantly prevalent throughout the study followed by undetermined genotype i.e untypable (n= 1377, 16%) by the diagnostic method of Ohno et al. The presence of untypable variants suggested that there are some novel or quasi species prevailing among HCV patients in local community. Case of patient with untypable genotype had been treated effectively with interferon alpha plus ribavirin therapy for 24 weeks and achieved SVR rate of 70-80 %. From the study, it can be concluded that untypable variants can be successfully treated with standard interferon therapy unless the mystery of untyped genotype has been solved with novel and effective diagnostic methods