[EPIDEMIOLOGIC MANIFESTATIONS OF VIRAL HEPATITIS C IN REPRESENTATIVES OF CAUCASIAN AND MONGOLOID RACES].

AIM: Present comparative epidemiologic characteristics of viral hepatitis C in Mongolia and Irkutsk Region taking into account racial origin of the studied populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The studies were carried out in 2009-014 on the territory of Irkutsk Region in Mongolia. Prevalence of viral hepatitis based on serological monitoring, virus RNA detection, risk factors, change in structure of circulating genotypes, hepatocellular carcinoma morbidity were studied. RESULTS: Epidemiologic manifestations of viral hepatitis C in Mongolia, in contrast to Irkutsk Region, are characterized by, a wider prevalence of the disease, predominance of the fraction of seropositive individuals in age category of above 50 years and predominance of genotype 1 virus in circulation. In recent years an evolution of diversity of circulating' irus genotypes, ook place towards a reduction of the fraction of genotype in Mongolia and Russia due tor ni ncrease of the fraction of genotype-3. Expressed,differences in average-annual values of hepatocellular carcinoma morbidity were detected, that were more than 10 times higher among Mongoloids compared with Caucasians. CONCLUSION: Pronounced differences were detected in manifestations of epidemic process of viral hepatitis C in Mongolia and Asian part of Russia, represented by Eastern Siberia, that are associated with ethnic, social and, cultural living conditions of the indigenous population.