CIRCULATION OF HBV STRAINS AMONG HEPATITIS B CHRONIC PATIENTS IN DISTRICT MARDAN OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Background: Hepatitis B is one of the major health issues around the world, triggered by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and globally around 3.6 million of the world’s populace is chronically diagnosed with HBV. Pakistan is highly endemic and an estimated prevalence rate of 3% has been recorded. Currently, it has been classified into ten diverse variants by the genetic divergence of more than 8% based on the whole genetic makeup of the virus. As different genotypes exhibit different pathogenicity and response towards the medication of HBV, the ongoing study was done with the purpose to inspect the prevailing epidemiological distribution of HBV strains in the Mardan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Material and Methods: Samples were extracted from 700 chronically detected HBV patients and tested by ICT and further ratified for the presence of viral DNA by qualitative PCR. Samples were processed by type-specific PCR to pinpoint the prevalence of specific HBV genotypes. Results: All samples were found positive through qualitative PCR and the most predominant genotype identified was HBV type D (88.5%) trailed by genotype A of HBV (11.5%) while other genotypes were not detected in our study in district Mardan. Conclusion: The present study shows high prevalence of HBV genotype D and further investigation is needed to understand both the genetic and geographical diversity of the virus in Mardan