engleski

Molecular characterization of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) strains in Croatia

In Croatia, a limited number of studies described epidemiological data on HCV infection, overall prevalence, genotype distribution, route of infection ; and none of them included detailed molecular characterization of HCV genotypes and strains. The recent retrospective Croatian epidemiologic study (Vince et.al., 2006) confirmed, in a group of 1163 patients with chronic hepatitis C (anti-HCV positive with detectable HCV RNA in plasma), the overall prevalence of HCV subtypes 1b, 3a and 1a which is in concordance with data for the geographic region of southern and eastern European countries. Based on the data and using samples from the mentioned study (400 samples available), by amplifying and sequencing the NS5B and 5’NC regions we will try to confirm and determine more accurately HCV genotypes and subtypes, and further on perform genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis of HCV in Croatia. We will establish in-house-methods for more accurate determination of HCV genotypes and subtypes, and molecular characterization of HCV, with ensured sensibility and repeatability. Established methods will be implemented in diagnostic centers in Croatia as standard methods for routine more accurate detection of HCV genotypes and subtypes, as it was done in other countries. We will present preliminary results of the first HCV molecular study conducted in Croatia.

Hepatitis C virus; NS5B; HCV genotype and subtype

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