Shustov, A.V., Kochneva, G.V., Sivolobova, G.F., Grazhdantseva, A.A., Gavrilova, I.V., Akinfeeva, L.A., Rakova, I.G., Aleshina, M.V., Bukin, V.N., Orlovsky, V.G., Bespalov, V.S., Zelicoff, A.P., Netesov, S.V.

Occurrence of markers, distribution of genotypes and risk factors for viral hepatitis C among some groups of the population in the Novosibirsk region

State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology “Vector”, Hospital No. 163, Regional Center for AIDS Control, Regional Hospital No. 1, Koltsovo, Novosibirsk region; Municipal City Drug-abuse Clinic, Novosibirsk, Russia; National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, USA

The occurrence of markers, genotypic variability of isolates and risk factors for viral hepatitis C (HCV) were studied in 4 groups of residents of the Novosibirsk region (altogether 2,000 persons). Anti-HCV IgG were detected within the range from 4.6% among medical perso

el to 48% among the patients of the drug-abuse clinic. The detection rate of HCV RNA in seropositive samples varied from 79.3% to 86.3%. The determination of genotype was carried out for 388 isolates: 1b — 50.3%, 2a — 4.4%, 2c — 0.3%, 3a — 44.8%. The highest risk indices with respect to HCV among the residents of the region were linked with the drug use (OR=77.5; p<0.05) as well as with risky behavior and low social status. The elevated numbers of seropositive persons were detected among unemployed (OR=16.3), alcohol abusers (OR=3.9), persons having more than 4 sex partners in their lifetime (OR=4.3) and persons having homosexual contacts (OR=6.6). In some groups blood transfusions also played a definite role in the transmission of HCV. In the analysis, carried out separately for two different genotypes the intravenous use of drugs was perceptibly stronger linked with VHC of genotype 3 (OR=85.5) in comparison with HCV of genotype 1 (OR=49.3) and genotype 2 (OR=41.1). Genotype 1 prevailed in the older age group and genotype 3, among young people.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2004, No. 5, P. 20—25