Geographic Origin of Hepatitis C Virus 6a in Hong Kong
Author Information
Author(s): Zhou Xiaoming, Chan Paul K. S., Tam John S., Tang Julian W.
Primary Institution: Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University
Hypothesis
HCV 6a was transmitted from Vietnam to Hong Kong.
Conclusion
The high predominance of HCV 6a infections in Hong Kong was possibly associated with Vietnamese immigration during 1987–1997.
Supporting Evidence
- HCV 6a infections increased more than 90-fold in Hong Kong from 1986 to 1994.
- The increase in HCV 6a infections correlated with peaks of Vietnamese immigration.
- Phylogenetic analysis indicated that HCV 6a strains from Vietnam may be ancestral to those in Hong Kong.
Takeaway
This study suggests that many cases of Hepatitis C in Hong Kong might have come from Vietnamese immigrants during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Methodology
Bayesian coalescent analysis of NS5A sequences from 26 HCV 6a samples collected between 1999 and 2004.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the limited geographic representation of HCV samples.
Limitations
Limited sequence data from HCV 6a strains in GenBank may affect the analysis.
Participant Demographics
All participants were Chinese from Hong Kong.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0035
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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