Hepatis C virus genotype 4

Hepatitis C virus genotype 4 chronic hepatitis predominates in the Eastern Mediterranean region of the world. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as high as 62% of all cases are due to genotype 4. Results of efficacy and safety clinical trials using pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C patients have shown great promise, but treatment of early responders should be maintained at 180 mg of pegylated-interferon alfa-2a plus 1000-1200 mg of ribavirin for 48 weeks unlike the 24 weeks recommended for genotypes 2 and 3. Hepatitis C genotype 4 may not be as "difficult to treat" as initially thought.