Key associations for hepatitis C virus genotypes in the Middle East and North Africa

<p dir="ltr">This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through an analytical and quantitative meta‐regression methodology. For the most common genotypes 1, 3, and 4, country/subregion explained more than 77% of the variation in the distribution of each genotype. Genotype 1 was common across MENA, and was more present in high‐risk clinical populations than in the general population. Genotype 3 was much more present in Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan than the rest of countries, and was associated with transmission through injecting drug use. Genotype 4 was broadly disseminated in Egypt in all populations, with overall limited presence elsewhere. While genotype 2 was more present in high‐risk clinical populations and people who inject drugs, most of the variation in its distribution remained unexplained. Genotypes 5, 6, and 7 had low or no presence in MENA, limiting the epidemiological inferences that could be drawn. To sum up, geography is the principal determinant of HCV genotype distribution. Genotype 1 is associated with transmission through high‐risk clinical procedures, while genotype 3 is associated with injecting drug use. These findings demonstrate the power of such analytical approach, which if extended to other regions and globally, can yield relevant epidemiological inferences</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Journal of Medical Virology<br>License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmv.25614" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmv.25614</a></p>