[HCV genotyping in health professionals: controversies and perspectives]

Healthcare workers (HCW) are at risk of acquiring blood-borne infections, including HCV Although current evidence does not suggest an increased prevalence of HCV infection among HCW, transmission of infection following occupational exposure has been demonstrated. Moreover, HCV can establish a persistent, chronic infection contributing to progressive liver disease, and post-exposure prophylaxis against HCV infection is not currently available. Problems still arise in the health surveillance of healthcare workers HCV infected. The use of virologic assays has become essential in the management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, in order to improve the diagnosis of the infection, to guide the treatment decisions, and to assess the virologic response to antiviral therapy. Although several studies have specifically evaluated the role of HCV genotypes, many questions have not been answered. It is thought that HCV genotypes are important epidemiological markers, but more investigations are needed to elucidate their role regarding the progression and the pathogenesis of liver disease. The clinical implication of HCV genome heterogeneity, the different genotyping methods and the possible role of HCV genotypes as a parameter that could help health surveillance of infected HCW are described in this paper.