[HCV genotypes distribution in HCV infected adulthood patients]

to determine the distribution of HCV genotypes in a group of HCV infected patients in Mexicali, Mexico.

a retrospective study which included 66 HCV-infected patients was done. Anti-HCV antibodies were measured by ELISA and were confirmed by the detection of viral RNA in the serum. Subsequently, HCV RNA positive patients were genotyped. Viral loads were compared and risk factors also were investigated.

59 % were women. HCV genotypes found were 1, 2, 3, 4 and mixed. The most frequent subtypes were 1a y 1b (70 %), followed by 3a (12 %), 2b (11 %), mixed (6 %), and 4a (1.5 %). There was no statistically difference significant in medians of viral loads between males/females (p = 0.53). Ten patients had been intravenous drug users; 7 from them resulted with subtype 1a. The most frequent risk factor was blood transfusion (75 %).

the distribution of HCV genotypes in our hospital was similar as those previously reported in other geographic regions of our country.