title: [Prevalence, risk factors and clinical characteristics in patients with genotype 6 chronic hepatitis C: a single institute experience].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis C genotypes 1 and 2 are widely distributed globally. In contrast, genotype 6 is found mainly in Southeast Asia, while genotype 6 is rare in Korea. This study aims to investigate the prevalence, risk factors and clinical characteristics of patients with genotype 6 chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively identified 133 HCV-infected patients who underwent HCV genotype analysis between January 2012 and December 2012, and analyzed the prevalence, risk factors and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with genotype 6 chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 133 patients, 53 patients (39.8%) were infected with genotype 1, 62 patients (46.6%) with genotype 2, 2 patients (1.5%) with genotype 3, 14 patients (10.5%) with genotype 6, and 2 patients (1.5%) with mixed genotypes (genotype 1 and 6). The risk factors associated with genotype 6 were acupuncture (n=4, 28.6%), intravenous drug use (n=3, 21.4%), tattoo (n=2, 14.3%), and transfusion (n=2, 14.3%). Of the 14 patients with genotype 6, 6 patients were treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Five patients had reached the end of treatment. All patients reaching end of treatment for genotype 6 showed early virological response and sustained virological response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of genotype 6 is 10.5% and mixed infections of genotype 1 and 6 are 1.5% in patients with chronic hepatitis C. A major potential risk factor is intravenous drug use and the treatment response rate to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin is high in patients with genotype 6 chronic hepatitis C. Large scale multicenter studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Kak
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Kul
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Eui Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Heon Nam
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Joon
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Oh Sang
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Duck Joo
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D013653:Tattooing
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a