title: Prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotypes in mashhad, northeast iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C is a disease with significant global impact. The distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in Mashhad (the Northeast and the biggest city after the capital of Iran) is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV genotypes among HCV seropositive patients, and to study the relationship between types, virologic and demographic features of patients in Mashhad.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and eighty-two clinical specimens obtained from HCV-infected patients referred to Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad during a period of 2009 to 2010 were selected. HCV genotype was determined by Nested PCR amplification of HCV core gene using genotype specific primers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Totally, 299 patients were male (79.9%). The most common HCV genotype was genotype 3a, with 150 (40%) of subjects. Genotype 1a was the other frequent genotype, with 147(39.2%) subjects. Frequency of genotypes for 1b, 5 and 2 was 41(10.9%), 13(3.4%) and 9(2.4%), respectively. Mix genotype including 1a+1b in 4 (1.04%), 1a+3a in 3 (0.8%) was found in 7 patients. Four percent out of these samples had an undetermined genotype. Among the hemophilia patient, there were 13(48.1%) genotypes as 1a, 3(11.1%) 1b and 10(37%) 3a, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dominant HCV genotype among patients living in Mashhad was 3a. This study gives added evidence of the predominant HCV genotypes in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Gastroenterology, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vossughinia
authors.forename: LA
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goshayeshi
authors.forename: H Rafatpanah
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Bayegi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sima
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erfani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abedini
authors.forename: LE
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goshayeshi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghaffarzadegan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nomani
authors.forename: S Amel
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jamehdar