Giriş Dünya üzerinde yaklaşık 130-210 milyon kişinin hepatit C virusu (HCV)'yla kronik olarak infekte olduğu tahmin edilmektedir. Batı Avrupa'da %0.4-3 arasında değişen prevalans, Mısır'da %9'lara kadar yükselmektedir (1). Ülkemizde kronik HCV infeksiyonu prevalansı sağlıklı kişilerde %0.6-2.1 arasında değişmektedir (2,3). Abstract Objective: This study was performed to determine the distribution of age, gender and hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype in patients followed because of their chronic

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... V infection in Gaziantep province and to contribute to the national chronic hepatitis C surveillance efforts. Methods: Anti-HCV-positive patients who applied to our hospital between 2012 and 2016 were included in this study. Their age, gender, HCV RNA positivity and HCV genotype data were recorded retrospectively. Results: A total of 160 patients born and living in Gaziantep province with an average age of 56 years were included in the study. 75% of the patients were in >50 years age group and 25% were in 18-50 years age group. 65% of the patients are female. 157 (98%) patients were found to be infected with HCV genotype 1b. Only one patient was infected with HCV genotype 2 and two patients were infected with HCV genotype 3 were identified. Conclusions: Our findings were compatible with literature data about chronic hepatitis C epidemiology and HCV genotype distribution in Turkey. Only 2 patients were identified as HCV genotype 3 infection in contrary to previous epidemiological data obtained in Kahramanmaraş, a province similar Gaziantep geographically and socioculturally. It was concluded that the evaluations involving Gaziantep province should be expanded to include in multiple centers and multiple patient groups.