title: Hepatitis C Virus NS5B Sequence-Based Genotyping Analysis of Patients From the Sharkia Governorate, Egypt.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hepatitis C virus infection and its sequela are major health problems facing the Egyptian community. The high prevalence and spread rates of the disease require serious actions to stop or decrease these rates. Determination of HCV genotypes and subgenotypes adds significant knowledge about the epidemiology of the disease, and provides an added value in the decision making process of what strategy to follow and what therapy response to expect. The molecular epidemiology and genetic variability of HCV variants circulating in Egypt still need further analysis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study was held to evaluate the genotype and subgenotype of the hepatitis c virus circulating in Sharkia as one of the large governorates of Egypt, which was not included in any study for genotyping of the virus before.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HCV molecular epidemiology in Sharkia governorate was studied using direct sequencing and further phylogenetic analysis of a partial NS5B region of the HCV genome from 63 patients. HCV genotype and subtype were successfully determined in 62 out of 63 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest prevalent genotype was genotype 4a, which was found in 57 patients (92%) followed by 2 isolates (3%) with genotype 4o, 2 strains (3%) with genotype 1g and one isolate (2%) with genotype 4n.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This molecular epidemiology study revealed high prevalence of HCV genotype 4, subtype 4a among Egyptian patients residing in Sharkia governorate, Egypt.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ; Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elsadek Fakhr
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ; Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pourkarim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amal Hassan
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Atta
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ayman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marei
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azab
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Ranst
keywords: Egypt; Hepatits C Virus, Genotype; Multilocus Sequence Typing