Perić M, Bošnjak Z, Džijan S, Šarkanj B, Barbić J, Roksandić Križan I, Ružman N, Bertić V, Vuković D. Most common HCV genotypes in patients from north-eastern Croatia.
Acta Med Acad 2014;
43:10-8. [PMID:
24893634 DOI:
10.5644/ama2006-124.95]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to determine the HCV-RNA viral load, genotype distribution, risk factors and symptoms of HCVRNA positive viral load in HCV antibody-positive patients from north-eastern Croatia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From January 2009 to December 2011, 203 HCV antibody- positive patients (130 men and 73 women; median age 44.5 years) were analyzed for HCV-RNA by the COBAS TaqMan HCV test and genotyped by the Linear Array HCV Genotyping test (both from Roche). All patients completed a structured questionnaire about risk factors and symptoms.
RESULTS
The HCV-RNA percentage was 61.1% and was similar for men and women. The HCV-RNA viral load increased with age: while 55% of 20-50 year old patients were HCV-RNA positive, 73% of patients >50 years were positive (p=0.021). Genotype 1 was the most prevalent genotype (79.8%), followed by 3 (12.9%), 4 (6.5%), and 2 (0.8%); genotypes 5 and 6 were not determined. Patients with genotype 1 (median, 50 years) were older than patients with 3 (median, 33.5 years) or 4 (median, 38 years). The blood transfusions performed in Croatian hospitals before 1993 was significantly associated with HCV-RNA positive viral load (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
These data indicated an elevated prevalence of genotype 1 in elderly HCV-RNA positive patients and it may continue to rise. Using RNA-based detection in HCV positive-antibody patients would allow early detection of HCV in the acute stage of HCV disease and the increased risk of HCV genotyperelated treatment failure.
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