title: Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes among injecting drug users in Lebanon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of anti-HCV among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Lebanon, to establish the current prevalence of HCV genotypes in this population and to determine whether demographic characteristics and behavioral variables differ between participants who were HCV-RNA positive and those who were HCV-RNA negative or between the different genotypes. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling method. The blood samples were collected as dried blood spots and then eluted to be tested for HCV, HBV and HIV by ELISA. Anti-HCV positive samples were subjected to RNA extraction followed by qualitative detection and genotyping.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 106 IDUs, 56 (52.8%) were anti-HCV-positive. The two groups did not differ in terms of age, marital status, and nationality. As for the behavioral variable, there was a trend of increased risky behaviors among the HCV-RNA positive group as compared to the HCV-RNA negative group but none of the variables reached statistical significance. Half (50%) of the 56 anti-HCV-positive were HCV-RNA positive. Genotype 3 was the predominant one (57.1%) followed by genotype 1 (21%) and genotype 4 (18%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The predominance of genotype 3 seems to be the predominant genotype among IDUs in Lebanon, a situation similar to that among IDUs in Western Europe. This study provides a base-line against possible future radical epidemiological variant that might occur in IDUs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Ziyad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mahfoud
authors.forename: Kassem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kassak
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kreidieh
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shamra
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055030:Drug Users; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies
references.citation: Int J Drug Policy. 2007 Oct;18(5):359-63
references.pmid: 17854723
references.citation: Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2007 May;31(5):480-4
references.pmid: 17541337
references.citation: J Gen Virol. 1996 Feb;77 ( Pt 2 ):293-301
references.pmid: 8627233
references.citation: J Hepatol. 1995 Jun;22(6):691-5
references.pmid: 7560863
references.citation: J Clin Pathol. 1999 Sep;52(9):633-9
references.pmid: 10655983
references.citation: Epidemiol Infect. 2007 Apr;135(3):427-32
references.pmid: 16848924
references.citation: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2005 Aug;24(8):514-22
references.pmid: 16133411
references.citation: Med J Aust. 2000 Jun 19;172(12):588-91
references.pmid: 10914104
references.citation: J Infect. 2000 Mar;40(2):176-83
references.pmid: 10841096
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2001 Jul 5;345(1):41-52
references.pmid: 11439948
references.citation: Scand J Infect Dis. 2001;33(6):457-61
references.pmid: 11450866
references.citation: J Infect Dis. 1995 Jun;171(6):1607-10
references.pmid: 7769300
references.citation: J Gen Virol. 1997 Jan;78 ( Pt 1):45-51
references.pmid: 9010284
references.citation: J Infect Dis. 2001 Sep 1;184(5):659-60
references.pmid: 11494175
references.citation: J Med Virol. 2008 Apr;80(4):640-5
references.pmid: 18297717
references.citation: Lancet. 2003 Dec 20;362(9401):2095-100
references.pmid: 14697814
references.citation: J Med Virol. 2008 Apr;80(4):603-6
references.pmid: 18297713
references.citation: J Med Virol. 2003 Mar;69(3):367-75
references.pmid: 12526047
references.citation: Infect Genet Evol. 2005 Mar;5(2):131-9
references.pmid: 15639745
references.citation: J Gen Virol. 1995 Sep;76 ( Pt 9):2329-35
references.pmid: 7561773