EnotypeFemale (n = 59) 5.6961.01 Genotypes 1 (n = 146) 2 (n = 26) 3 (n = 37) 6 (n = 90) 6.0760.91 5.6661.06 5.4960.84 6.2060.93 F = 6.675 0.0002**P-value was calculated by one-way ANOVA, the multiple comparisons showed that genotype 1 and genotype 6 were higher than genotype 2 and genotype 3, P,0.05. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052467.tDependent Variable: viral load (log10 IU/ml) Model: (Intercept) age, ethnicity, gender, HCV genotype. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052467.tHCV 6a Presented a Higher Virus Titer in ChinaTable 5. Association of the viral load of HCV in plasma and genotype among male donors.Genotype 1 (n = 99) 2 (n = 17) 3 (n = 28) 6 (n = 81)Viral load (log 10) Mean ?SD 6.1860.74* 5.6361.05 5.5960.75 6.1860.95*F-value 5.P-value0.001**P-value was calculated by one-way ANOVA, the multiple comparisons showed that genotype 1 and genotype 6 were higher than genotype 2 and genotype 3, P,0.05. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052467.tthat donors infected with genotype 1 had higher viral loads than those infected with genotype 2 and 3. At least partially, this phenomenon has been linked to lower rates of sustained virological response (SVR) among patients infected with genotype 1 who had been treated with interferon plus ribavirin [36]. In this study, we further revealed that donors infected with 6a strains tended to have similar levels of viral load to those infected with genotype 1. Although there are now only limited data available about the treatment POR 8 site responses among patients infected with genotype 6 [22,23,25], the European Association for the Study of Liver (EASL) has recommended that these patients should be treated using the strategy similar to those used in treating genotype 1 infections [17]. The EASL has also recommended that the treatment duration can be shortened if the viral load is lower than 86105 IU/ml (equals to 5.9 log10 IU/ml) [17]. Our results are in agreement with the EASL instructions on this, because the mean viral loads among the donors infected with genotype 1 and 6 were both higher than 6.0 log10 IU/ml while the viral loads among those infected with genotype 2 and 3 were lower than 5.7 log10 IU/ml. Nevertheless, several other studies have also get 79831-76-8 reported that patients infected with genotype 6 appeared to show similar treatment responses to those infected with genotype 2/3, of which the SVR rates were both higher than that seen among patients infected with genotype 1 [22,23,25]. For verification, further studies are needed, which should include more patients to be matched not only with the age, gender, ethnic and geographic origins but also with HCV subtypes and basal viral loads. Blood transfusion used to be the major risk in acquiring HCV infection prior to the institution of a mandatory anti-HCV screening [37]. Since 1992 the screening has been implemented in the United States and thus the risk has declined from 1/200 per unit of blood to 1/10,000,1/10,000,000 [38]. Such a risk did not decline in China until the central government enacted the antiHCV screening in 1993 and outlawed paid blood donations in 1998 [26]. With the risk via transfusion greatly decreased, the risk via injection drug use (IDU) is increasing, which has now become the major risk for contracting HCV infection in China [39]. It has been argued that sexual transmission may also be a major risk for HCV infection especially among male IDUs who have sex with men or with prostitutes [40,41]. In addition, high viral loads has been indicated to increase th.EnotypeFemale (n = 59) 5.6961.01 Genotypes 1 (n = 146) 2 (n = 26) 3 (n = 37) 6 (n = 90) 6.0760.91 5.6661.06 5.4960.84 6.2060.93 F = 6.675 0.0002**P-value was calculated by one-way ANOVA, the multiple comparisons showed that genotype 1 and genotype 6 were higher than genotype 2 and genotype 3, P,0.05. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052467.tDependent Variable: viral load (log10 IU/ml) Model: (Intercept) age, ethnicity, gender, HCV genotype. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052467.tHCV 6a Presented a Higher Virus Titer in ChinaTable 5. Association of the viral load of HCV in plasma and genotype among male donors.Genotype 1 (n = 99) 2 (n = 17) 3 (n = 28) 6 (n = 81)Viral load (log 10) Mean ?SD 6.1860.74* 5.6361.05 5.5960.75 6.1860.95*F-value 5.P-value0.001**P-value was calculated by one-way ANOVA, the multiple comparisons showed that genotype 1 and genotype 6 were higher than genotype 2 and genotype 3, P,0.05. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052467.tthat donors infected with genotype 1 had higher viral loads than those infected with genotype 2 and 3. At least partially, this phenomenon has been linked to lower rates of sustained virological response (SVR) among patients infected with genotype 1 who had been treated with interferon plus ribavirin [36]. In this study, we further revealed that donors infected with 6a strains tended to have similar levels of viral load to those infected with genotype 1. Although there are now only limited data available about the treatment responses among patients infected with genotype 6 [22,23,25], the European Association for the Study of Liver (EASL) has recommended that these patients should be treated using the strategy similar to those used in treating genotype 1 infections [17]. The EASL has also recommended that the treatment duration can be shortened if the viral load is lower than 86105 IU/ml (equals to 5.9 log10 IU/ml) [17]. Our results are in agreement with the EASL instructions on this, because the mean viral loads among the donors infected with genotype 1 and 6 were both higher than 6.0 log10 IU/ml while the viral loads among those infected with genotype 2 and 3 were lower than 5.7 log10 IU/ml. Nevertheless, several other studies have also reported that patients infected with genotype 6 appeared to show similar treatment responses to those infected with genotype 2/3, of which the SVR rates were both higher than that seen among patients infected with genotype 1 [22,23,25]. For verification, further studies are needed, which should include more patients to be matched not only with the age, gender, ethnic and geographic origins but also with HCV subtypes and basal viral loads. Blood transfusion used to be the major risk in acquiring HCV infection prior to the institution of a mandatory anti-HCV screening [37]. Since 1992 the screening has been implemented in the United States and thus the risk has declined from 1/200 per unit of blood to 1/10,000,1/10,000,000 [38]. Such a risk did not decline in China until the central government enacted the antiHCV screening in 1993 and outlawed paid blood donations in 1998 [26]. With the risk via transfusion greatly decreased, the risk via injection drug use (IDU) is increasing, which has now become the major risk for contracting HCV infection in China [39]. It has been argued that sexual transmission may also be a major risk for HCV infection especially among male IDUs who have sex with men or with prostitutes [40,41]. In addition, high viral loads has been indicated to increase th.
