Changing molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in Northeast Italy

✍ Scribed by Gianna Dal Molin; Filippo Ansaldi; Claudia Biagi; Pierlanfranco D'Agaro; Manola Comar; Lory Crocè; Claudio Tiribelli; Cesare Campello

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 72 KB
• Volume: 68
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.10210

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

To assess HCV genotype distribution and its determinants, 318 consecutive HCV RNA positive patients were examined. Subtype 1b infection was the most prevalent (35.5%), followed by subtype 1a (22%), 3a (21.4%) and 2 genotype (21.3%). Subtypes 1a, 1b and 3a had a comparable prevalence (30–35%) in the 0–15‐, 16–30‐ and 31–45‐year age groups. In subjects older than 45 years, genotype 2 prevalence increased, whereas subtype 1a and 3a infections decreased markedly. In this age group types 1b and 2 accounted for a prevalence of more than 90% in a comparable proportion. Genotype prevalence rates according to different risk factors were different statistically (P < 0.001): subtype 1a and 3a infections were predominant in injection drug users (42.9% and 37.7%, respectively), whereas community acquired infections and infections in patients with a history of transfusion were caused mainly by subtype 1b (38.5% and 66.6%, respectively). Logistic regression showed that age and injection drug use are independent determinants of genotype distribution. J. Med. Virol. 68:352–356, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.