HCV GENOTYPES IN MOROCCO

To determine the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes circulating in Moro cco, virus isolates from 105 chronically infected and 19 hemodialysis patients were examined using the line probe assay. Genotypes 1 and 2 o nly were found among Moroccan patients. Subtypes 1b (47.6%) and 2a/2c (37.1%) were the most common, whereas subtype 1a (2.8%) was less commo n. Among the hemodialysis patients, only genotype 1 was found with a p revalence of 68.4% for subtype 1b and 15.8% for the subtype 1a. It was also shown that the HCV genotypes distribution varies with age in bot h studied populations. Subtype 1b was most prevalent among older patie nts, whereas subtype 2a/2c was mainly found among younger ones. Althou gh Morocco belongs to the African continent, the circulating HCV strai ns are similar to those observed in some American and European countri es. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.