title: Prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotypes in a Spanish liver transplant unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Among the at least six major identified genotypes of HCV, genotype 1b, the one associated with a poorer prognosis, is the most prevalent in Spain. We aimed to compare the distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in our liver transplant unit with that of the other HCV patients at our institution (n = 413) in order to assess whether genotype 1b is more prevalent among patients with more severe liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred eight patients of mean age 56 years included 81 (75%) OLT recipients and 27 (25%) with HCV cirrhosis. Determination of HCV genotypes was made with the Inno-LiPA HCV III.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall distribution of genotypes was: 1b, 93 patients (86.1%); 1a; eight patients (7.4%); 3, four patients (3.7%); 4; two patients (1.9%), and 2; one patient (0.9%). The distribution was similar among patients with cirrhosis and OLT. Genotype 1b patients were older. Eleven (78.6%) of 14 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had genotype 1b. In the control group the distribution was: 1b, 287 patients (69.5%); 1a, 54 patients (12.1%); 3, 41 patients (9.9%); 4, 20 patients (4.8%), and genotype 2, 11 patients (2.7%). This differences in the distribution of genotypes between our population and the control group was statistically significant (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genotype 1b, the most prevalent genotype in our liver transplant unit, included older patients in whom hepatocellular carcinoma was common, perhaps due to their higher prevalence of cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplant Unit, Hospital Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, Spain. josemariamoren@mixmail.com
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Moreno Planas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández Ruiz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Portero Azorin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boullosa Graña
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rubio González
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martín Garcia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinez Arrieta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiménez Garrido
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sánchez Turrión
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cuervas-Mons Martinez
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain