HCV genotype 3: a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Abstract

At present, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality affecting over 185 million people worldwide,[1] equivalent to a global prevalence of about 2.5% in 2015. Genotype 3 (HCVG3) is one of the seven recognized genotypes.[2] HCVG3 is the second most common genotype overall and is estimated to account for 54.3 million cases throughout the world (30.1%).[1] Although three-quarters of them occur in South Asia where it is endemic, the 3a subtype is an ‘epidemic subtype’ widely distributed geographically, probably associated with injecting drug use.