ISMJ

Background: Hepatitis C is one of the main causes of mortality and disability of liver diseases worldwide. Main transmission rout is blood transfusion and its epidemiology is changing due to increasing injecting drug users. It is also important because of co-transfer with HIV. In order to finding common HCV genotyping and transmission risk factors, we conducted this study on HCV positive patients who was referred from Bushehr Blood Transfusion Organization. Methods: A total of 69 patients who were detected as positive for HCV antibody (by using ELISA method and RIBA test) referred to virology laboratory between 2007-8 in order to collecting demographic and epidemiologic data, molecular diagnosis and furthermore virus genotyping. After detection of HCV, RNA genotyping of virus was done by using genotype specific primers (By PCR-RFLP). Results: From 69 HCV positive patients 60 had positive RT PCR. Male/Female ratio was 11. Genotype of 38.3% & 36.7% of them was 3a & 1a respectively. The most important transmission risk factor was intravenous drug using (IVDU), the second rout was iatrogenic (dentistry, blood transfusion & medical intervention). There was an association between genotypes & risk factors. Genotype 3a was associated with IVDU & 1a with iatrogenic routs (p<0.05). Co-infection with HBV & HIV was found in 8.3% of patients who all were IV drug users. Conclusion: The dominant genotype of HCV in Bushehr was 3a & 1awith similar dispersion in European countries. The dominant route of transmission is injection of drugs and it shows the necessity of intervention and education in this group of patients.