Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes and Related Risk Factors Among Iranian Blood Donors: A Penalized Logistic Regression

Abstract

Background: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood born virus and the major cause of liver diseases worldwide. Distribution of HCV genotypes varies depending on geographical regions and routes of infection. Knowledge regarding the distribution of HCV genotypes and related risk factors plays an essential role in the control of HCV infection in the community. Objectives: The current study aimed at determining the current distribution of HCV genotypes and related risk factors among Iranian blood donors. Methods: In the current analytical, cross sectional study, 106 HCV-infected blood donors with detectable HCV RNA over the country were interviewed by trained physicians through a post-donation questionnaire on demographic, medical, and risk history from November 2015 to May 2017. The hepatitis C virus genotype was determined by sequencing of a segment of non-structural 5B region in HCV genome. Penalized logistic regression model was used for statistical analysis through STATA software. Results: Hepatitis C virus genotype was determined in all subjects, and the genotype 3a was the most frequent (65, 61.32%), followed by 1a (31, 29.25%), and 1b (10, 8.49%). Based on the multivariable analysis results, tattooing (adjusted odds ratio: 2.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.03-7.37) was associated with HCV genotype 3a. Conclusions: According to the results, it seems that changes in molecular epidemiology of HCV infection and replacement of HCV genotype 1a with 3a, characterized by an increase in genotype 3a and decrease in genotype 1a have occurred over the last decade among Iranian blood donors. Tattooing was an independent risk factor for HCV infection by genotype 3a.

Phylogenetic Analysis of NS5B Region of Hepatitis C Genotype 3a Virus among Different Risk Groups in Iran

“…Some recently conducted studies reported changes in the distribution of HCV genotype as replacement of geno-type 3a, instead of genotype 1a, as the most common genotype among Iranian blood donors (13). In the presented study, the phylogenetic tree (Figure 1) revealed that genotype 3a sequences isolated from blood donors were not genetically different from that of IDUs, which is similar to the study conducted on blood donors in the Netherland (19).…”

“…that genotype 1a is the most frequent subtype, followed by subtype 3a, in transfusion-related HCV infection patients (9,10), and genotype 3a is reported to be the most common genotype in IDUs and blood donors (11)(12)(13).…”

“…In total, from 2016 to 2017, 110 HCV sequences were obtained from Iranian blood donors from all corners of the country and were submitted to GenBank by the authors in 2017 (13). The sequences were corresponding to nucleotides 8256 -8636 of the NS5B region of the HCV genome (A 380 bp segment).…”

“…In this cross-sectional study, all 58 HCV sequences with the accession number of MG704694 to MG704794 were compared with the same NS5B partial sequences of HCV genotype 3a obtained from IDUs and IBDs. The later sequences had been submitted to GenBank with the accession number of JQ433655-JQ433608 and KC351605-KC351634, respectively, and their manuscripts were published in 2012 and 2016 (10,11,13). Based on accession numbers available on the related manuscript, the FASTA formats of NS5B sequences of IDUs and IBDs were extracted from the GenBank database.…”