title: Genotypic analysis of hepatitis C virus in khuzestan province, southwestern iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. The HCV genotype has a geographic distribution and an important role in clinical and histological outcomes. This study determined HCV genotypes and their related risk factors among patients from Khuzestan Province, Southwest Iran. METHODS In a cross-sectional study, 223 patients infected with HCV who referred to Ahwaz Jundishapour University Hospitals (AJSUH) and Hepatitis Clinic were enrolled. Specific and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were performed to determine viral infection and genotype analysis. Liver enzymes including ALT and AST and the correlated risk factors were also determined.
  genotype 1a (41.7%); genotype 1b (2.7%); genotype 2 (4.1%); genotype 3a (31.4%); and genotype 4 (1.8%). There were 42 samples (18.84%) not classified into any of the known HCV subtypes. No patient was infected with more than one genotype. HIV was found in four (1.8%) cases, of which all were intravenous drug users. Univariate analysis demonstrated an independent association of intravenous drug use (IVDU) and genotypes 1a (60.7%) and 3a (30%). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that genotypes 1a and 3a are the most common ones among Iranian patients with chronic hepatitis C infection in Khuzestan Province, Southwest, Iran.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Emam Hospital, Ahwaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; ; Emam Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Eskandar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hajiani
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Emam Hospital, Ahwaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran;
authors.forename: Seyed Jalal
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Emam Hospital, Ahwaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran;
authors.forename: Abdolrahim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masjedizadeh
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Emam Hospital, Ahwaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran;
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shayesteh
authors.affiliation: Emam Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jalali
keywords: Genotyping; HCV; Iran