Distribution of HCV Genotypes Among People Who Inject Drugs in Tunisia: New Evidence for Scaling Up Prevention and Treatment Toward National Elimination Goal

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F21%3A00554110" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/21:00554110 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.697859/full" target="_blank" >https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.697859/full</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.697859" target="_blank" >10.3389/fmicb.2021.697859</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Distribution of HCV Genotypes Among People Who Inject Drugs in Tunisia: New Evidence for Scaling Up Prevention and Treatment Toward National Elimination Goal

Original language description

Little is known about the distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes among people who inject drugs (PWID) in North African countries, including Tunisia. This study aims to describe HCV genotypes circulating among Tunisian PWID. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 128 HCV-positive PWID were recruited between 2018 and 2019 from community-based harm reduction centers. After informed consent, sociodemographic characteristics and risk behavior data were obtained using an interviewer-administrated questionnaire. Blood samples were collected for further serological and molecular testing. Overall, five women and 123 men were included. The median age was 39.5 years. The majority of PWID (56.3%) had less than a secondary level of education, were single (57%), were unemployed (65.6%), were incarcerated at least once (93.0%), and had a history of residency in at least one foreign country (50.8%). During the previous 12 months, 82.0% reported having reused syringes at least once, 43.8% shared syringes at least once, while 56.2% had at least one unprotected sexual relation, and 28.1% had more than two different sexual partners. Tattooing was reported among 60.2%. All positive results for HCV-infection by rapid testing were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HCV-RNA was detectable in 79.7%. Genotyping showed a predominance of genotype 1 (52%) followed by genotype 3 (34%) and genotype 4 (10%). Four patients (4%) had an intergenotype mixed infection. Subtyping showed the presence of six different HCV subtypes as follows: 1a (53.2%), 1b (6.4%), 3a (33.0%), 4a (3.2%), and 4d (4.3%). This is the first study describing circulating HCV genotypes among PWID in Tunisia. The distribution of HCV genotypes is distinct from the general population with a predominance of subtypes 1a and 3a. These findings can be used to guide national efforts aiming to optimize the access of PWID to relevant HCV prevention and treatment measures including pangenotypic regimens for patients infected with HCV genotype 3.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10606 - Microbiology

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2021

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Frontiers in Microbiology

ISSN

1664-302X

e-ISSN

1664-302X

Volume of the periodical

12

Issue of the periodical within the volume

JUL 27 2021

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

10

Pages from-to

697859

UT code for WoS article

000683315300001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85112232174