The Changing Profile of Circulating HCV Genotypes in Romania

Abstract

December 2006 from two regional hospitals were studied. Results: More than half of these cases were females (45/76, 59%). The mean ages of male and female patients were 43 (median: 41, range: 4—78) and 45.8 (median:49, range: 10—82). The mean hospital stay was 6.4 days. Clinical manifestations were fever (62/76, 82%), malaise (37/76, 49%), skin rashes (37/76, 49%), bone pain/arthralgia (35/76, 46%), anorexia (33/76, 43%), pruritus (33/76, 43%), headache (25/76, 33%), nausea (21/76, 28%), diarrhea (21/76, 28%), vomit (20/76, 26%), hemorrhage (17/76, 22%), skin pain (15/76, 20%), abdominal pain (14/76, 18%), retro-orbital pain (12/76, 16%), conjunctivitis (10/76, 13%). Positive results for RT-PCR occurred in 38 of 76 patients (50%). Serotype 3 was the major causative strain. Prolonged partial thromboplastin time was observed in 44 of 76 patients (58%), while elevation of aspartate aminotransferase was observed in 69 of 76 patients (91%). Thrombocytopenia occurred in 65 of 76 patients (86%) and 32 of them (49%) had severe thrombocytopenia (less than 50,000/mm3), while 65 of 76 patients (86%) were leukopenic and 28 of them (43%) had severe leukopenia (white blood cells ranged from 1,000 to 2,000/mm3). The average duration of peak body temperature to normal was 3.1 days. The mean intervals of leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were 2.5 days and 2.6 days respectively. All patients recovered except an old man with previous exposure to dengue virus died of acute fulminant hepatitis. Conclusion: Dengue fever occurred predominantly in females, fever was the major manifestation. Most of the patients contracted hepatitis, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Clinical outcome was satisfactory.