Hepatitis G virus infection and genotypes in Iraqi thalassemia patients

Abstract

Background: HGV infects patients at risk for parenteral exposure and chronic bloodtransfusion, such as those with β- thalassemia major.Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of HGV infection inthalassemia patient and furthermore to sequence and analyze phylogentic of HGV.Materials and methods: A prospective study conducted between Feb. to May, 2014. A totalof 154 Beta thalassemia patients (87 male; 67 female), from Alkarama teaching hospital andIbn AL-baladi hospital maternity &children's hospital; aged 18-50 years , who receivedregular blood transfusions were included in the study. All patients were screened forAntibody against E2 glycoprotein of HGV (Anti-E2 Ab) by using ELISA to detect thepresence of HGV infection. While Detection of HGV genomes was done by RT-PCR.Results: One hundred fifty four thalassemia patients (87 male, 67 female) of 18-50 yearswere involved in this study. Using the ELISA method, Anti-HGV was detected in 16 patientsout of 154 (10.4%) with peak prevalence age group was between 20-24 years. Reversetranscription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed HGV-cDNA was detected in 28(18.2%) only. The peak age prevalence of HGV infection was under 20 years; however, therewere no significant differences in prevalence among two sexes or number of bloodtransfusion. The results of genotyping in 12 randomly selected patients showed presence ofgenotype 2 and genotype 5 with percentage of 91.7% and 8.3% respectively.Conclusion: the prevalence rate of HGV RNA in β-thalassemia major patients is 18.2%,while the prevalence rate of anti-HGV (past infection) is 10.4%. No one of thalassemiapatients had HGV RNA and anti-HGV simultaneously. The Gene sequence analysis of PCRproducts identified HGV genotypes 2 and 5 with percentage of 91.7% and 8.3% respectively