Epidemiology and risk factors for hepatitis C virus genotypes in a high prevalence region in Italy

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is globally widespread. Southern Italy is a high prevalence region where the distribution of the HCV genotypes (GTs) is changing. Intravenous drug abuse is the only risk factor associated with a specific HCV GT (GT3). The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution and the risk factors for specific HCV GTs. A total of 682 patients with measurable serum HCV-RNA were enrolled between January and March 2017. We recorded clinical information and the presence of risk factors for HCV. GT1b was the prevalent genotype in our patients (59.8%). HCV GT1a and GT3 infections were more frequent among patients aged ≤60 years (14.9% vs 2.2%, p<0.01 and 13.6% vs 0.8%, p<0.01, respectively). At multivariate analysis, intravenous drug abuse and age ≤60 years were associated with GT1a infection (OR: 4.79; 95% CI: 2.43-9.47, p <0.001 and OR: 5.07; 95CI: 2.25-11.40, p<0.001, respectively), while age ≤60 years was the only risk factor for GT3 (OR: 15.81; 95CI: 4.76-52.54, p <0.001). In the Campania region, we observed an increase in GT1a and GT3 rates compared with those observed in previous years. Age ≤60 was an independent risk factor for GT1a and GT3 infection. Intravenous drug use was independently associated with GT1a infection.