ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the distribution of HCV genotypes in Chinese Han population with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This randomized multicenter study included 1 014 CHC patients from 28 hospitals in different regions of China. SPSS 20.0 was applied to analyze the relationship among region, HCV genotype, gender and the replication level of HCV-RNA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HCV 1 genotype (56.80%) was the most common genotype. The majority of CHC patients were of genotype 1, 2, 3, 6 in the order of frequency, except those in southwestern, southern and central China. HCV 1, 2, 3, 6 genotypes were most common among male patients in southern China; among female patients in northern China; among male patients in northern and northwestern China and among male patients in northwestern China, respectively (all P <0.05). There was no statistical significance between different genders in other regions. The high viral load was more common than the low viral load among HCV 1, 2, 3, 6 genotype-infected patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There are different distributions of HCV genotypes among the different regions. In addition, HCV genotypes are correlated with gender and HCV-RNA load.</p>