Six-year distribution pattern of hepatitis C virus in Turkey: A multicentre study

Hepatitis C infection is a public health problem. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in seven regions of Turkey, by evaluating 7002 patients with chronic HCV in a six-year period. During the 2009–2014 period, serum/plasma samples from 7002 new consecutive HCV RNA positive patients were collected. The female patients were 3867 (55.2%). The genotype distribution of HCV patiens was evaluated by ages and years. Statistical analysis was performed by using the Mann–Whitney test and the ?2 analysis. During the six-year period, genotype 1b was the most common genotype (67.7%) followed by untypeable genotype 1 (7.7%), genotype 4 (7.3%) and genotype 3 (6.7%). In 2014, genotype 3 was the second most common one (11.3%) and genotype 4 was the third most common one (9.8%). In the group with <25 years old patients, genotype 1b was most common (78.48%, 62/79) between the years of 2009 and 2011, whereas genotype 3 (34.8%, 86/247), between the years of 2012 and 2014. Genotype 1b was the most common in the groups between 26 and 35 years, 36 and 45 years, 46 and 55 years, 56 and 65 years. The rate of genotype 3 was increased from 4.78% to 10.06% and the rate of genotype 4 was increased from 1.3% to 3.84%, from 2009–2011 to 2012–2014. In recent years, genotypes 3 and 4 have gained importance. New therapeutic strategies and survey studies may be required for the modified HCV genotype pattern. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis

The prevalence of mixed genotype infections in Turkish patients with hepatitis c: a multicentered assessment

AKTAS, OSMAN/0000-0002-7762-4108; Karsligil, Tekin/0000-0001-7672-3625; cekin, yesim/0000-0003-4393-5618; Sayiner, Ayca/0000-0001-6750-2353; Altindis, Mustafa/0000-0003-0411-9669WOS: 000463988900008PubMed: 30969089Background: HCV virus infections are one of the major health problems in the world that can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer at a higher rate than other hepatitis data. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of mixed infections with different HCV genotypes in Turkey and also to evaluate the current HCV genot pe and subtype distributions by a multicentered assessment. Methods: The HCV genotype data of 17,578 hepatitis C patients collected from 23 centers from different geographic regions covering all Turkey were collected. The data included information about the HCV genotypes in the last 10 years (bail een 2007 and 2016), demographic properties of the patients and the methods/systems used to determine the genotypes. Results: Two hundred twenty-eight of the patients (1.3%) had mixed genotype. The most common mixed genotype combination was 1b + 4 (0.83%) followed by 1a + 1b (0.26%). Genotype distribution varies according to geographical regions. However, genotype 1 (82.92%) was the most common genotype in all regions and all years. This was followed by genotype 3 (7.07%) and genotype 4 (5.43%). A variety of methods were used by the centers including sequencing, pyrosequencing, real-time PCR, in-house RFLP, reverse hybridization (LIPA), and hybridization. Conclusions: Infection with mixed HCV genotypes in Turkey is uncommon. Genotype distribution varies according to geographic regions; the most common genotype 1 is encountered all oN er the country, while genotypes 3 and 4 are only in some of the centers. Since there is limited information about mixed HCV infection, further investigations are needed to determine the clinical importance of mixed HCV infection