Post-transfusion hepatitis C virus infection among β-thalassaemic individuals with associated clinical parameters.

Background & Objectives: Multiple transfusions in β-thalassaemia patients undergoing regular transfusion regimen are at a risk of developing transfusion transmitted infections, including hepatitis C virus (HCV). The present study was conducted to investigate the association of HCV viraemia and genotype with clinical parameters in HCV seroreactive β-thalassaemic individuals.

Methods: A total of 172 HCV seroreactive β-thalassaemic individuals aged between 2-35 yr with at least 25 units of blood transfusion were catagorized into four groups (2-12 yr, group 1; 13-19 yr, group 2; 20-29 yr, group 3; 30-35 yr, group 4).

Association of TNF-alpha (-308 A/G) and IFN-gamma (+874 A/T) gene polymorphisms in response to spontaneous and treatment induced viral clearance in HCV infected multitransfused thalassemic patients.

Background: Multitransfused thalassemic individuals are at high risk of developing transfusion transmitted Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of the study was to correlate the effects of host cytokine single nucleotide polymorphisms of TNF-α (-308 A/G) and IFN-γ (+874 A/T) in spontaneous or IFN induced treatment response in the HCV infected thalassemic individuals.

Methods: A total of 427 HCV sero-reactive thalassemic individuals were processed for HCV viral genomic diversity and host gene polymorphisms analysis of TNF-α (-308 A/G) and IFN-γ (+874 A/T).

Interferon λ3 gene (IL28B) is associated with spontaneous or treatment-induced viral clearance in hepatitis C virus-infected multitransfused patients with thalassemia.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major posttransfusion infection in multitransfused individuals in India with thalassemia major. To our knowledge, this study is the first conducted to correlate and comprehend the effects of the host interleukin (IL)28B gene polymorphism at loci rs12979860 and rs8099917 in spontaneous or interferon (IFN)-induced treatment response in the HCV-seroreactive individuals with thalassemia major.

Study Design And Methods: A total of 557 HCV-seroreactive individuals with thalassemia were processed for HCV viral genotyping and host IL28B single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis at loci rs12979860 and rs8099917.

Recombination in hepatitis C virus is not uncommon among people who inject drugs in Kolkata, India.

Recombination in RNA virus is a rare event in the survival and evolution to evade host immune system. This is increasing within high risk group population (HRG) due to super infection that occurs by continuous sharing of common drug equipment by HCV infected or HIV-HCV co-infected recurrent drug users. Recombination causes impediment to vaccine development and therapeutic intervention as standard HCV treatment is still genotype specific.

Changing pattern of dengue virus serotypes circulating during 2008-2012 and reappearance of dengue serotype 3 may cause outbreak in Kolkata, India.

Dengue virus infection is a major cause of morbidity within the endemic tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Dengue virus has four distinct serotypes with specific clinical manifestations. In this study, we observed the changing pattern of dengue serotypes, age-wise dengue infection and useful sero-detection methods needed in a dengue endemic region.

Current molecular methods for the detection of hepatitis C virus in high risk group population: A systematic review.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an emerging infection worldwide and the numbers of persons infected are increasing every year. Poor blood transfusion methods along with unsafe injection practices are potential sources for the rapid spread of infection. Early detection of HCV is the need of the hour especially in high risk group population as these individuals are severely immunocompromised.

Modulation of TLR 3, 7 and 8 expressions in HCV genotype 3 infected individuals: potential correlations of pathogenesis and spontaneous clearance.

Background: Hepatitis C virus is the major cause of chronic hepatitis worldwide which finally leads to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Toll like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the course of many viral infections, but the role of TLRs in HCV pathogenesis has not been well elucidated so far.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the mRNA expression of TLRs 3, 7, and 8 in different stages of HCV infection including chronic, cirrhosis, interferon treated resolved, and relapsed cases.

Impact of host IL28B rs12979860, rs8099917 in interferon responsiveness and advanced liver disease in chronic genotype 3 hepatitis C patients.

Background And Aims: Genetic polymorphisms near interleukin 28B gene are associated with spontaneous and treatment induced clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Our objective was to evaluate the impact of interleukin 28B single nucleotide polymorphism (rs12979860, rs8099917) variability in HCV genotype 3 infected populations.

Methods: 400 hepatitis C seroreactive patients from different population groups in Eastern and North Eastern part of India were assessed for host and viral genotypic analysis.

Transmission dynamics of hepatitis C virus among intra venous drug users in the border state of Manipur, India.

Intra venous drug users (IVDUs) are at high risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection owing to their high rate of drug abuses. The north-eastern part of India has a high prevalence of IVDUs with Manipur being the worst hit state. The aim of the study was to document the molecular epidemiology, the patterns of HCV transmission, genomic variation and recombination events within HCV genome among IVDUs of Manipur, India.

Development of rapid, sensitive one-tube duplex RT-PCR assay for specific and differential diagnosis of Chikungunya and dengue.

Chikungunya and dengue, two arboviral infections are common in South-East Asia and their early clinical manifestations are very similar hence it is important to discriminate between them as early as possible for better clinical management. The aim of this study was to design a rapid, sensitive and specific method for the differential diagnosis of these two viruses simultaneously. A rapid one-tube duplex RT-PCR assay was developed that requires 110 min including RNA extraction, RT-PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis by using a novel Taq polymerase with high processivity.

Recent pattern of Co-infection amongst HIV seropositive individuals in tertiary care hospital, Kolkata.

Background: Opportunistic Infections (OIs) and co-infections are the major cause of deaths amongst HIV infected individuals and this mostly depends upon the risk factors, type of exposure and geographic region. The commonest types of infections reported are tuberculosis, chronic diarrhoea, oral candidiasis, herpes simplex virus-2, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. Due to the scarcity of OIs data available from this region, we had designed a study to determine the frequency of different OIs amongst HIV seropositive patients.