Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and the IL28B genotype polymorphism among blood donors and high-risk populations.

INTRODUCTION: To study the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infection in blood donor (BD), haemodialysis (HD) and intravenous drug user (IVDU) populations in Singapore and assess the IL28B polymorphism if HCV positive.

METHODS: The BD population were healthy volunteers, the HD population were patients who were on haemodialysis for at least 6 months of follow-up between Jan 2009 and Dec2014. IVDU population was from inmates at half-way houses who consented.

RESULTS: Between 2011 and 2014, of 161,658 individuals screened for blood donation, 42 (0.059%) were positive for HCV. Common genotype (GT) were GT-3 (47.6%) and GT-1 (31%). Of 1,575 HD patients 2.2% were anti-HCV positive. The HCV GT distribution was GT-1 (32.3%), GT-3 (20.5%) and GT-6 (8.8%). 83 halfway house inmates were screened. Of the 47 IVDU, 36.2% were anti-HCV positive with predominant GT-3 (%). IL28B polymorphism was noted to be CC predominantly 85.3%.

CONCLUSION: Prevalence of HCV infection has decreased in both the BD and HD population. However it remains high in IVDU population. GT-1 remains the most common in the HD population; however, GT-3 infection is now more common among the BD population in Singapore. IL28B - CC is the predominant variant among the HCV - infected individuals in Singapore.