Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Serbia and Montenegro: The prevalence and clinical significance

Abstract

In Serbia and Montenegro, the genotypes 1b and 3a predominate in patients with chronic HCV infection. The subtype 1b is characteristic of older patients, while the genotype 3a is common in drug abusers. Association of the subtype 1b with advanced liver disease, higher viral load and histological activity suggests earlier infection with this genotype and eventually its increased pathogenicity.

Hepatitis C virus genotype distribution in Turkey remains unchanged after a decade: Performance of phylogenetic analysis of the NS5B, E1, and 5’UTR regions in genotyping efficiency

“…The percentages of genotypes 3 and 4 were found to be similar in both studies, with a slight decrease for both genotypes in the present study: genotype 3 (0.4% vs. 1%) and genotype 4 (0.4% vs. 1%). In many countries, the genotype distribution mostly shows an increase in the percentages of genotypes 3a, 1a, and 4, largely due to the consequences of migration events (21,22) and intravenous drug abuse (23). However, our results showed a relative decrease in the percentages of genotype 1a, genotype 3, and genotype 4 since 2004, although the severity of urban-to-urban migration has continued to increase in Turkey (24).…”

Genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran

“…Previous studies proposed several reasons for the existence of 2 or 3 genotypes in 1 patient. One reason included an unspecific band resulting from the interaction of the specific primers of a genotype with the sequences of another genotype and/or exposure to 2 different HCV genotypes (45,46). In our study, common needle injections among patients with addiction might have had a role in infection with different HCV genotypes.…”

Planning for the healthcare burden of hepatitis C infection: Hepatitis C genotypes identified in England, 2002–2007

“…19,25,26 Although risk exposures were poorly reported, the majority of people tested for HCV in England are known to have injected illicit drugs. 11,27 In this study, G3a was more common (and G1b less common) among younger birth cohorts and those first tested in drug centres, groups likely to have been exposed through injecting, suggesting that genotype 3a is the main circulating genotype in IDUs in England.…”