Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in patients infected by different sources and its correlation with clinical and virological parameters: a preliminary study

BACKGROUND Information about genotypes and associated risk factors in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients in Iran is limited. The aim of this study was to identify the HCV genotypes and associated risk factors in a group of HCV infected patients from Iran. RESULTS Genotyping analysis was performed in 156 patients with positive anti-HCV and HCV-RNA. Patients were questioned concerning documented risk factors. Genotypes 1 and 3 were found in 87 (55.8%) and 45 (28.8%) patients, respectively. The most frequent HCV subtype was 1a (37.8), followed by 3a (28.9%) and 1b (16.7%). There was no statistically significant difference between the risk factors analyzed and the acquisition of HCV infection. We further found that 18 (40%) and 17 (37.8%) patients that were intravenous drug users (IVDU) had genotype 1a and 3a respectively. CONCLUSION Genotypes 3a and 1a in Iran are less prevalent in IVDU than in Europe and USA, but there is a high similarity between the pattern of genotype in IVDU in both Europe and United States, and Iran. However, in this case it can not be due to people migration among countries since history of travel abroad existed only in 6 cases (13.3%).