HCV Genotype Distribution in Southwest China and Its Influence on Patients’ Response to Pegylated-interferon α-2a Plus Ribavirin Therapy

Abstract

To study the distribution of hepatitis С virus (HCV) genotype in Sichuan population and to investigate the effects of HCV genotypes on the viral response of hepatitis С patients treated with pegylated interferon cr2a plus ribavirin as well as the relationship between HCV genotype and the severity of disease. Methods 189 patients with HCV infection were enrolled. The level of serum HCV-RNA at various points during the treatment was measured while HCV genotypes and baseline serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were detected. Results The genotype of HCV in Sichuan population is dominated by genotype-1 (which accounting for 79. 89%), while the other genotypes accounting for 20. 11%. Patients with genotype-1 infection have lower end-of-treatment virological response (ETVR) rates and early virological response (EVR) compared with non-genotype-1 patients (P<0. 05). But the disease-associated indexes between these two groups have no significant differences. Conclusion I'he distribution of the HCV genotypes in Sichuan population has certain regularity, dominated by HCV genotype-1 infection. We confirmed that HCV genotype can be a predictive factor of the virological response of the standard antiviral treatment.

Keywords: HCV, Genotype, Sichuan population, Therapeutics