Epidemiology of HCV genotypes in the Area of Lecce.

Introduction Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the main cause of chronic hepatitis and represents one of the most relevant public health issues. HCV virus is characterized by great genetic heterogeneity. Six main genotypes and about 100 subtypes have been identified which have very different distributions and clinical implications. Aim of this study This study evaluated the distribution of the different HCV genotypes in HCV-infected patients in the area of Lecce, in relation to age, risk factors, viraemia levels, and ALT and AST levels. Methods and materials This study was conducted among 415 HCV-positive patients followed, in 1998, at the Departments of Infectious Diseases of hospitals in the area of Lecce. HCV infection was diagnosed by third-generation ELISA and RIBA tests. ALT and AST levels, viraemia levels, viral genotypes, and risk factors were determined. Results Of the 415 patients with HCV infection, 60.2% had chronic hepatitis. The major risk factors were a history of intravenous drug use (38.1%), blood transfusion (3.1%), or surgery (3.1%). The most prevalent genotype was 1b (31.1% of patients), followed by genotypes 3a, 2a2c, and 1a. Conclusions Our findings revealed that numerous genotypes circulate in Salento. Different genotype distributions on the basis of modes of acquisition and median age of patients seem to confirm an evolution in the molecular epidemiology of HCV infection.