The Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

Objective: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a major public health problem worldwide. HCV can cause chronic hepatitis infection which may ultimately result in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Seven major genotypes and more than 100 subtypes of HCV are shown by sequence analysis. Genotype 1 is associated with more severity of liver disease than genotypes 2 and 3 and sustained response to treatment is known to be less. In this study, we aimed to determine the HCV genotype distribution in chronic hepatitis C patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 patients with chronic HCV infection who attended the Microbiology Laboratory at Adnan Menderes University Hospital between August 2007 and December 2010 found to be positive for anti-HCV and HCV-RNA were included in the study. Anti-HCV testing was performed using microparticle Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent assay test kit (Murex Anti-HCV version 4, UK) with autoanalyser (Grifols Triturus, Spain). The quantification of serum HCV-RNA was carried out by a real-time polymerase chain reaction method with two different systems (Cobas TaqMan HCV, Roche Diagnostics, Germany and Rotor-Gene 6000, Corbett Research, USA). HCV genotype analysis was performed by using a kit (HCV-TS; AB Analitica, Italy) based on the reverse hybridization of 5'-untranslated region and amplified products with genotype-specific probes. Results: The mean age of the 50 chronic hepatitis C patients [27 (54%) female, and 23 (46%) male] was 57.1 +/- 14.3 years. Genotype 1b was found in 36 (72%) subjects, genotype 1a in nine (18%), genotype 2b in one (2%), genotype 3 in one (2%), and genotype 1a/1b was found in three (6%) patients. No statistically significant difference was detected in HCV-RNA quantities and anti-HCV index between HCV genotypes (p>0.05). Conclusion: Compatible with the previous data obtained in Turkey, genotype 1b was found to be the most common HCV genotype in patients with chronic hepatitis C followed in our hospital.