Genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus in Bolu province

Viral genotypes play a critical role in the clinical course and treatment planning of chronic liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study aimed to investigate the distribution of HCV genotypes and subtypes in patients from Bolu, thereby contributing to the understanding of HCV molecular epidemiology and supporting the development of treatment strategies. The HCV genotyping results of blood samples obtained from HCV RNA-positive patients and submitted to the Medical Microbiology Laboratory between 2017 and 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. HCV genotype determination was performed using a real-time polymerase chain reaction method. A total of 65 patients were included in the study, of whom 55.4% were female and 44.6% were male, with a mean age of 61.1 years (range: 25–96). The most frequently detected HCV genotype was 1b (69.2%), followed by 1a and 3 (13.8%), while 4 was detected in 3.1% of cases; genotype 2 was not observed. A significant association was found between gender and HCV genotype distribution, with genotype 1b being more prevalent in women and genotype 3 being more frequent in men. When evaluated according to age groups, the average age of patients with genotype 1b (67.6±14.6) was found to be higher than that of patients with genotype 3 (42.1±10.9). To our knowledge, this study is the first to report the distribution of HCV genotypes in Bolu province and supports the finding that genotype 1b is the dominant type. These findings may contribute to the development of treatment strategies and provide regional epidemiological data.