title: Distribution of Hepatitis C virus genotypes in city of Mashhad, North-east of Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Six major hepatitis C virus genotypes have been characterised, which vary in their geographical distribution. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in an area is not constant, and depends on the changes in route of infection, which may change over time. In this study, the distribution of HCV genotypes in Mashhad, the capital of Razavi Khorasan province in north-east of Iran was investigated. Mashhad is a holy city of Shiate Moslems, which attracts more than 20 million tourists and pilgrims every year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and seventy-eight HCV infected subjects (227 males and 51 females) were included in this study. HCV genotypes were analysed by type specific reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genotype 3a was detected in 49.6%, 1a in 36.3%, 1b in 12.6% and 2a in 0.4%. Two HCV genotypes were detected in 1.1% cases; 1a +3a in 1%, 3a + 1b in 0.4%. Genotypes 2b and 3b were not detected in any samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated that despite the previous reports on the frequency of HCV genotypes in Iran, 3a is the predominant genotype in Mashhad.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, BuAli Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rastin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoudi
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rezaee
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Assarehzadegan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tabasi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zamani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nosratabadi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haghmorad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khazaee
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Panah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction