Genetic variability of human pegivirus type 1 (HPgV-1) among Congolese co-infected with hepatitis C virus in Brazzaville, Congo

Roch Fabien Niama; Pembe Issamou Mayengue; Bertivie Cendres Matongo Nsoukoula; Félix Koukouikila-Kossounda; Cynthia Nkoua Badzi; Aldi Fred Mandiangou; Igor Louzolo; Grâce Petula Urielle Fila-Fila; Louis Régis Dossou-Yovo; Monic Brunel Angounda

doi:10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.03.005

Genetic variability of human pegivirus type 1 (HPgV-1) among Congolese co-infected with hepatitis C virus in Brazzaville, Congo

IJID Reg. 2023 Mar 21:7:191-192. doi: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.03.005. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, 120 avenue du Général Charles de Gaulle, BP 120, Brazzaville, Congo.
² Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Marien Ngouabi, BP 69, Brazzaville, Congo.
³ Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine, 120 avenue du Général Charles de Gaulle, BP 120, Brazzaville, Congo.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the rate of human pegivirus type 1 (HPgV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection, and the genotype distribution of HPgV-1 among patients with chronic hepatitis C and blood donors in Brazzaville. Two groups of patients in Brazzaville were recruited: blood donors (n = 35) and individuals with chronic hepatitis C (n = 73). The overall positivity rate of HPgV-1 was 4.63%: 2.86% in blood donors and 5.48% in chronic hepatitis C patients. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all samples were genotype 1. However, studies with a larger sample size are needed to estimate the true burden of HPgV-1 infection in the country and to confirm the distribution of genotypes in the general population.

Keywords: Blood donors; Chronic HCV patients and Republic of Congo; Co-infection; HCV; Pegivirus.