Genotypes of Hepatitis C Virus in Kuwait

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in 144 patients in Kuwait were determined by the Murex Anti-HCV Serotyping Assay. Twenty-nine (38%) of 77 Kuwaiti patients were found to be infected with genotype 4 and 27% with genotype 1 while of the 41 Egyptian expatriate patients 37 (90%) were infected with genotype 4, Results show that although in native Kuwaiti patients the dominant genotype is 4, other genotypes, especially type 1, occur frequently. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.