title: Hepatitis C virus genotypes in 1,504 patients in Slovenia, 1993-2007.
abstract: In order to identify the main routes of hepatitis C (HCV) transmission and to determine the HCV genotype distribution and its dynamics during a 15-year period in Slovenia, HCV genotypes were detected using the INNO-LiPA HCV II (Innogenetics) test for serum samples obtained from 1,504 patients representing 72.6% of all patients with chronic hepatitis C diagnosed from 1993 to 2007. HCV genotype 1 was predominant (56%), followed by genotypes 3, 2, and 4, with a prevalence of 37.8%, 5%, and 1.2%, respectively. HCV genotypes 5 and 6 were not detected in any patient. Patients infected with HCV genotype 3 were significantly younger (mean age 28.9 +/- 8.5 years) than those infected with genotype 1 (mean age 38.9 +/- 14.8 years; P < 0.0001) and those infected with HCV genotype 2 (mean age 50.3 +/- 18.2 years; P < 0.0001). Intravenous drug use was identified as the most frequent possible HCV transmission route (34.3%), followed by medical-related transmission such as transfusion of HCV-contaminated blood or blood products, and hemodialysis (12.5%). Being an intravenous drug user was found to be strongly associated with HCV genotype 3 (OR, 3.71 [95% CI, 2.97-4.65]; P < 0.0001) and reporting infection by transfusion of blood or blood products was found to be strongly associated with HCV genotype 1 (OR, 3.28 [95% CI, 2.18-4.95]; P < 0.0001). During the 15-year period, the proportion of genotype 3 increased substantially, reflecting the fact that the HCV epidemic in Slovenia is driven mostly by intravenous drug use.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seme
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vrhovac
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mocilnik
authors.forename: Mojca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maticic
authors.forename: Gorazd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lesnicar
authors.forename: Zvonko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Baklan
authors.forename: Jelka Meglic
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Volkar
authors.forename: Mojca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rajter
authors.forename: Srecko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stepec
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lunar
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poljak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D017524:Slovenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D055815:Young Adult