Genotype distribution amongst hepatitis C patients in The Netherlands.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of the genotypes of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) differs according to geographical location. In the United States and in European countries, the majority of patients are infected with genotype 1, 2 or 3. There is a lack of data on the distribution of HCV genotypes in The Netherlands.


METHODS
The current survey determined the distribution of HCV genotypes amongst recently genotyped patients seen by physicians treating hepatitis C in The Netherlands.


RESULTS
Almost half of the 351 patients (49.3%) were infected with genotype 1. Genotype 3 was the second most dominant genotype with a prevalence of 29.3%. Genotypes 2 and 4 were found in 9.7 and 10.5% of the patients, respectively. For 61.5% of the patients (n=216), the subtype was available. For genotype 1 the prevalence of subtype 1a and 1b was very similar, while for genotype 3 a large majority of patients were infected with subtype 3a.


CONCLUSIONS
This survey gives the first estimation of the distribution of HCV genotypes amongst unselected HCV patients in The Netherlands.
de Vries
M J
MJ
Roche Nederland BV, Woerden, The Netherlands. martin.de_vries@roche.com
te Rijdt
B
B
van Nieuwkerk
C M J
CM
D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006306:Health Surveys; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment