title: Phylogeny and phylodinamic of Hepatitis C in Italy.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is one of the most pressing health emergencies in the world with a global prevalence of about 170 million people chronically infected worldwide. In Europe, Italy has the highest HCV prevalence (3 - 4.4%) with peaks of 12.6 - 26% in Southern regions and the major islands. In Italy HCV genotype 1b prevails, and genotype 4 is mainly found in the south of the country where the prevalence is particularly high in regions such as Calabria.Phylogenetics analysis is a molecular tool widely used to study rapidly-evolving RNA viruses that establish chronic infections such as HCV. Searching the scientific literature, it was found that thirty-nine genetic studies on HCV genotypes have been carried out in Italy between 1997 to 2012 years. However, phylogenetic analysis was performed only in fourteen out of thirty-nine HCV studies (36%) considered. Monitoring the genetic evolution of HCV is an essential step to control the local as well as global HCV epidemic and to develop efficient preventive and therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy. massimo.ciccozzi@iss.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccozzi
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lo Presti
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ciccaglione
authors.forename: Gianguglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zehender
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciotti
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence