Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in the Region of İstanbul Northern Anatolian Association of Public Hospitals

Objective: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is responsible for 20% of acute hepatitis and 70% of chronic hepatitis. Determination of HCV genotype is important in the regulation of treatment and the follow-up of clinical course. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the results of test performed in the Central Laboratory of İstanbul Northern Anatolian Association of Public Hospitals to determine the genotype distribution of hepatitis C patients in our region. Materials and Methods: HCV genotypes were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (Qiagen, Germany) and reverse hybridization line probe assay (Nlm srl, Italy) methods. Results: Among HCV RNA-positive 554 patients, 312 (56.5%) patients had genotype 1b, 127 (23.1%) - genotype 1a, and 94 (17.3%) patients had genotype 3a. A total of 10 samples were identified to be mixed genotype; 3 (0.5%) - genotype 4c/d, 3 (0.5%) - genotype 2a/c, 3 (0.5%) - genotype 1a/1b, and 1 (0.2%) - genotype 1b/4. Conclusion: HCV genotype 1b is the most common genotype in our region similar to country-wide results. However, the rates are lower in our country than in the previous years. Probably the difference in this genotype distribution may depend on globalization, developments in technology, changes in human movements and social behaviors. Genotype determination is important for the regulation of treatment and prognosis of HCV infection.