Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotype in Iranian multiply transfused patients with thalassemia.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common transfusion-transmitted disease in multiply transfused patients worldwide. In this study, the aim was to investigate distribution of HCV genotypes in Iranian patients with thalassemia.


METHODS
Blood samples were received from 280 multiply transfused patients with thalassemia with chronic hepatitis C who were referred to us to start pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin for duration of 48 weeks. HCV RNA viral load was detected using Amplicor test (Version 2, Roche Molecular Systems). Genotyping was performed by genotype-specific primers.


RESULTS
HCV genotype distribution was 1 in 57%, 3 in 35%, 2 in 1%, and mixed in 4% (1 + 3 in 2.8%, 3 + 4 in 0.4%, mixed subtypes in 0.8%) cases. A total of 2.5% of isolates were nontypable. Genotype 1 was associated with higher rate of splenectomy and greater serum ferritin.


CONCLUSIONS
Genotype 1 is the most frequently detected HCV genotype in Iranian patients with thalassemia and might cause more need for splenectomy and more severe iron overloading. Higher HCV viral load could be regarded as another risk factor for greater iron overloading.
Alavian
Seyed-Moayed
SM
Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Baqiyatallah Hospital, Tehran, Iran. editor@hepmon.com
Miri
Seyyed Mohammad
SM
Keshvari
Maryam
M
Elizee
Pegah Karimi
PK
Behnava
Bita
B
Tabatabaei
Seyed-Vahid
SV
Lankarani
Kamran Bagheri
KB
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D055815:Young Adult