Abstract
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is considered a major health problem worldwide. Despite the availability of an
effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy; 58 million people still have chronic HCV globally. HCV had 6 major genotypes;
identification of specific genotypes linked to appropriate DAA selection.
Aim of this study: To know the predominant HCV genotype in Nineveh governorate.
Patients and Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in public health laboratory in Nineveh from March
2022 to February 2023, 107 patients with HCV antibodies were included in this study, they underwent HCV real-time polymerase
chain reaction (RT PCR) and genotyping, all those 107 patients had positive HCV antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA).
Results: From 107 patients with positive HCV antibodies, only 50 patients (46.7%) had positive HCV PCR, Genotype 4 is the most
common HCV genotype in Nineveh (48 % and genotype 1a (26%) is the second common genotype, half of the current patients were
young and HCV more common in male patients (62%).
Conclusion: The most prevalent HCV genotype in Nineveh governorate is genotype 4 followed by genotype 1a.
Main Subjects
)
