Publication:

Genomic landscape of hepatitis C virus in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis

In India, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection ranges from 0.5% to 1.5%, with most infected individuals being asymptomatic and without jaundice. HCV is responsible for approximately 25% of liver-related disorders, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cirrhosis, and is increasingly recognized as a cause of chronic liver diseases. Populations at high risk for HCV transmission include intravenous drug users (IDUs), renal transplant recipients, dialysis patients, and those receiving blood products. HCV is categorized into seven genotypes, each with various sub-genotypes, playing a crucial role in epidemiology and outbreak investigations. An extensive literature search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science from January 2003 to December 2023, using keywords such as ‘hepatitis C’ and ‘genotype’ along with MeSH terms for refinement. Out of 739 retrieved articles, 20 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria for analysis, with the mean age of participants being 41±4. A statistically significant difference (p<0.001) was found between gender and sample size. Notably, genotype 3 was most prevalent (45%), while genotype 1 and 3 showed equal prevalence (26%) in the North-Eastern region. It is essential to implement and monitor government initiatives like NVHCP to enhance understanding and public health regarding HCV.