title: [Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of genotype 4 HCV infection in the north-east Poland].
abstract: More than 130 million, mostly young people worldwide are infected with HCV. Infection with HCV genotype 4 is very common in North Africa and Middle East, but in United States only about 1% of HCV infections are related to this genotype. The aim was assessment of the incidence of genotype 4 HCV infection in north-eastern Poland, that included also epidemiological and clinical analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  673 patients infected with HCV were included into the study. Genotype and HCV viral load was determined using RT-PCR tests (Syngen Biotech, USA). Histologic picture of the liver was evaluated according to Scheuer classification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infection with genotype 1 was observed in 452 (67%) patients, genotype 3 in 178 (26%), and 43 (7%) patients were infected with genotype 4. This infection was three times more frequently observed in males than in females, and 40% of cases were demonstrated in persons aged between 18 and 30 years. Moreover 21% infected with HCV genotype 4 were simultaneously infected with HIV. In 30% of infected with genotype 4 tattoos were observed. Sustained virologic response was obtained in 9 among 21 patients infected with genotype 4 (43%), but only in 1 among 8 of re-treated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the north-east Poland, infection with HCV genotype 4 occurs in 7% of patients, mostly young people. Infections with this genotype are often associated with intravenous drugs use.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chorób Zakaźnych i Hepatologii, Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Białymstoku. twlapinski@wp.pl
authors.forename: Tadeusz Wojciech
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Łapiński
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pawluczuk
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flisiak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral