Prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Italy.
Hepatitis C viruses (HCV) present in 110 Italian patients were characterized by genotype-specific PCRs. Among the 65 cases of community-acquired hepatitis, HCV genotype II was dominant (60%), followed by genotypes IV (15%), III (11%), and I (3%). Among the 45 hemophilia-associated cases, the distribution of the four HCV genotypes was markedly different: genotype I was the most prevalent (61%), followed by genotypes II (25%), III (4%), and IV (2%). Double infections were observed in eight patients. Two HCV remained unclassified. For the 45 community-acquired cases from which a liver biopsy was available, genotype II was associated with more severe liver damage than the other types.
Pistello
M
M
Department of Biomedicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
Maggi
F
F
Vatteroni
L
L
Cecconi
N
N
Panicucci
F
F
Bresci
G P
GP
Gambardella
L
L
Taddei
M
M
Bionda
A
A
Tuoni
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D001706:Biopsy; D005838:Genotype; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence