Changing of hepatitis C virus genotype patterns in France at the beginning of the third millenium: The GEMHEP GenoCII Study.
This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate, during a short period between 2000 and 2001, in a large population of patients with chronic hepatitis C, the epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in France. Data from 26 referral centres, corresponding to 1769 patients with chronic hepatitis C were collected consecutively during a 6-month period. HCV genotyping in the 5'-non-coding region (NCR) was performed in each center using the line probe assay (LiPA, in 63% of cases), sequencing (25%) or primer-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (12%). HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4, 5, non-subtyped 1 and mixed infection were found in 18, 27, 9, 21, 9, 3, 11 and 1% of our population, respectively. HCV genotype distribution was associated with gender, age, source and duration of infection, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, cirrhosis, alcohol consumption, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. In multivariate analysis, only the source of infection was the independent factor significantly associated with genotype (P = 0.0001). In conclusion, this study shows a changing pattern of HCV genotypes in France, with i.v. drug abuse as the major risk factor, an increase of genotype 4, and to a lesser extent 1a and 5, and a decrease of genotypes 1b and 2. The modification of the HCV genotype pattern in France in the next 10 years may require new therapeutic strategies, and further survey studies.
Payan
C
C
Laboratoire de Virologie, CHU Angers, France. chpayan@chu-angers.fr
Roudot-Thoraval
F
F
Marcellin
P
P
Bled
N
N
Duverlie
G
G
Fouchard-Hubert
I
I
Trimoulet
P
P
Couzigou
P
P
Cointe
D
D
Chaput
C
C
Henquell
C
C
Abergel
A
A
Pawlotsky
J M
JM
Hezode
C
C
Coudé
M
M
Blanchi
A
A
Alain
S
S
Loustaud-Ratti
V
V
Chevallier
P
P
Trepo
C
C
Gerolami
V
V
Portal
I
I
Halfon
P
P
Bourlière
M
M
Bogard
M
M
Plouvier
E
E
Laffont
C
C
Agius
G
G
Silvain
C
C
Brodard
V
V
Thiefin
G
G
Buffet-Janvresse
C
C
Riachi
G
G
Grattard
F
F
Bourlet
T
T
Stoll-Keller
F
F
Doffoel
M
M
Izopet
J
J
Barange
K
K
Martinot-Peignoux
M
M
Branger
M
M
Rosenberg
A
A
Sogni
P
P
Chaix
M L
ML
Pol
S
S
Thibault
V
V
Opolon
P
P
Charrois
A
A
Serfaty
L
L
Fouqueray
B
B
Grange
J D
JD
Lefrère
J J
JJ
Lunel-Fabiani
F
F
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics
D012367:RNA, Viral