title: HCV genotypes among 1013 Saudi nationals: a multicenter study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (G) knowledge is essential for determining type, duration and rate of response to antiviral therapy, possible route of HCV transmission, and future vaccine development. Our aim was to study HCV genotypes and to provide precise data on genotype distribution in both genders and different age groups amongst Saudi patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Genotype data from molecular laboratories at four different tertiary care hospitals in Riyadh from January 2006 until December 2010 were collected and analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive data on genotype, sex and age was collected from 1013 Saudi patients. Genotyping was done by selective hybridization of amplicons to HCV genotype-specific oligonucleotides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found G1 in 262 patients (25.9%), G2 in 44 (4.4 %), G3 in 29 (2.9 %), G4 in 608 (60%), and 3 patients (0.3%) each of G5 and G6. In addition, 64 (6.3%) patients had mixed genotypes, mostly G4 and G1. On subtyping in 191 G1 patients, 67 (35.1%) were G1a, and 124 (64.9 %) G1b. Age distribution showed that 18 (1.7%) were 0-20 years, 173 (17.1 %) 21-40 years, 521 (51.4%) 41-60 years and 301(29.7%) > 60 years. There was no significant difference in frequency of G1, G3 and G4 among the two genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  G1 and G4 are the predominant genotypes in Saudi patients infected with HCV (85.9%), with a similar distribution among the two sexes and no significant changes in genotype distribution over the past decade.
authors: King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health and Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ibrahimtraif@yahoo.com
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Al Traif
authors: Mohammed A
authors: MA
authors: Al Balwi
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Abdulkarim
authors: Fayaz A
authors: FA
authors: Handoo
authors: Hamdan Saleh
authors: HS
authors: Alqhamdi
authors: Melfi
authors: M
authors: Alotaibi
authors: Abdulrahman
authors: A
authors: Aljumah
authors: Hamad Ibrahim
authors: HI
authors: Al Ashqar
authors: Khalid
authors: K
authors: Bzeizi
authors: Mohammed
authors: M
authors: Al Quaiz
authors: Abduljaleel
authors: A
authors: Alalwan
authors: Waleed
authors: W
authors: Al Hamoudi
authors: Faisal
authors: F
authors: Sanai
authors: Ayman
authors: A
authors: Abdo
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers