Genotype distribution in hepatitis c patients admitted to Erzincan Mengucek Gazi Training and Research Hospital

Introduction and Aim: Hepatitis C virus which is the primary reason of liver transplant causes Acute and Chronic Hepatitis C virus infections, while Chronic Hepatitis C virus infection leads to cirrhosis, liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis C virus has 8 genotypes and many subtypes. Hepatitis C virus Genotype 1b is the highest prevalence among the genotypes in our country and worlwide. In this study, we aimed to determine genotype distribution of Hepatitis Cpatients presenting to Erzincan Binali Yildirim University Mengucek Gazi Training and Research Hospital and to investigate whether there was a correlation between HCV RNA levels and ALT levels in patients with different genotypes. Material and Methods: A total of 77 patients with anti-HCV positivity detected in Erzincan Binali Yildirim University Mengucek Gazi Training and Research Hospital between January 2013 and June 2019 were included in the study. In these patients; the presence of anti-HCV antibody was studied with chemiluminescence micro-particle enzyme immunoassay method, HCV RNA levels with real time polymerase chain method, ALT levels with ion selective electrodes method, detection of HCV genotype with real time polymerase chain reaction method and DNA sequencing processes. Results: Of the 77 Hepatitis C patients, 41 (53.2%) were male and 36 (46.8%) were female. HCV G1b was detected in 62 (80.5%), HCV G1a in 6 (7.8%), HCV G3a in 3 (3.9%), HCV G3 in 2 (2.6%), HCV G2 in 2 (2.6%), HCV G4 in 1 (1.3%) patients, subtype could not be determined HCV G1 in 1 (1.3%) patient. The mean HCV RNA levels of the patients was found as 1 163 143 IU/ml and the mean ALT levels as 68.70 U/l. Conclusion: "Hepatitis C virus Genotype 1b" was found as the highest level genotype in Hepatitis C patients presenting to Erzincan Binali Yildirim University Mengucek Gazi Training and Research Hospital and there was no statistically significant difference between HCV RNA levels and ALT levels of the patients with different genotypes. Keywords: ALT, Hepatitis C virus, Hepatitis C virus genotypes, HCV RNA.