Imported Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in Japanese Hemophiliacs

Japanese hemophiliacs are at high risk for infection with "imported" viruses by receiving imported coagulation factors. Previously we found hemophiliacs to have a high rate of infection with hepatitis delta virus and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), both of which are rare in the normal population in Japan. Here we report that these patients are also at risk for infection with diverse genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV), most of which are rare in Japan.