title: Do different hepatitis C virus genotypes behave differently?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The natural history of hepatitis C genotype III infection, the predominant form in India, is not wholly understood. This study attempted to compare the natural history of diseases due to genotypes III and I.
  
  
  METHODS
  This 10-year prospective follow-up study (mean follow-up period = 3.6 +/- 1.4, range = 1-10 years) included 108 patients of hepatitis C. Group 1 comprised 65 patients with hepatitis C genotype III infection (mean age = 46.1 +/- 11.3 years, male: female = 1.8 : 1) and group 2 comprised 43 patients with hepatitis C genotype I infection (mean age = 44.2 +/- 8.2 years, male: female = 2.1 : 1). Demographic features, clinical presentation and course, response to treatment (either interferon-ribavirin or peginterferon-ribavirin combination) and complications were noted for all patients. Data were analysed using the chi-square test and Student's t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of steatosis cases was larger in group 1 (32.3%, 21/65 patients) than in group 2 (18.6%, 8/43 patients) although statistically not significant. There was no significant difference in the mode of infection, presence of diabetes, obesity or alcoholism, clinical presentation, extra-hepatic manifestations, stage of liver disease, complications like decompensation or hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality. Overall, the sustained treatment response was significantly greater in group 1 patients [(87.5%, 21/24 treated patients vs. 56.2%, 9/16 treated patients in group 2; p = 0.0001)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV with genotype III was associated with better treatment response. Although statistically not significant, more number of patients in genotype III had steatosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Bombay Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Mumbai. amarapurkar@gmail.com
authors.forename: Deepak N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Amarapurkar
authors.forename: Nikhil D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Priyamvada
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rane
authors.forename: Praful
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kamani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents