Hepatitis C virus (HCV) subtypes were determined in 125 Iranian patients by phylogenetic analysis within the NS5B or 5'-UTR/core regions. Subtypes 1a and 3a were predominant accounting for 47 and 36%, whereas 1b and 4 accounted for 8 and 7%. This subtype distribution differs from that of Turkey and Pakistan, where subtypes 1b and 3a dominate and also from neighbouring Arabic countries where subtype 4 is the prevalent genotype. The Iranian 1a and 3a strains formed subclusters in the dendrogram indicating that these subtypes are indigenous to Iran. In contrast, the 1b strains intermixed with strains derived worldwide. Subtype 1a was frequent in South Iran (70%), while 3a was more prevalent in North-West Iran (83%), a region with a high proportion of Turkish inhabitants. Patients infected by blood products had more frequently subtype 1a (57%), while younger drug users had more frequently subtype 3a (54%). Genotype 4 was over-represented among haemodialysis patients in Tehran. One strain, most similar to genotype 5, was highly divergent in the NS5B region and further analysis is needed to assess the systematic status of this strain. In half of the patients with unknown source of infection only the 5'-UTR could be amplified, most of which were from North-West Iran and from patients younger than those with unknown source of infection with typable strains, mean age 29 versus 43 years. In conclusion, the NS5B sequence data revealed population based subtype patterns in Iran, the further study of which may help to understand the molecular epidemiology of HCV in a low-endemic area.

We have analyzed the possible relevance of HPV infection for breast cancer risk among Iranian women from north part of Iran. Among women with breast cancer, 25.9% had positive test results for HPV DNA in breast tumor samples in contrast to 2.4% of women with noncancer status (P=0.002). The infection of HPV has increased the risk of breast cancer (OR 14.247; 95% CI 1.558–130.284,P=0.019). The high-risk HPV genotypes (types 16 and 18) in samples of breast cancer patients were the predominant types (53.34%). Other genotypes detected in breast cancer were HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-15, HPV-23, and HPV-124, and one isolate could not be genotyped compared to HPV reference sequences. While the sole detected HPV in control specimens was HPV-124. Our study reveals that HPV infection and age are the risk factors in breast cancer development in the north part of Iran.

Seroepidemiological surveys show that the prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection mostly varies in various geographical areas and reflects the local incidence of classic and endemic KS, being widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and Mediterranean countries and uncommon in the USA and Northern Europe. In the Middle East only few populations, such as Ashkenazi and Sephardic groups in Israel, have been adequately evaluated for HHV-8 seroprevalence. Among Iranian population a striking higher seroprevalence of HHV8 has been reported among haemodialysis (16.9%), renal transplant recipients (25%) and HIV (45.7%) patients compared to blood donors (2%). Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the rarest cancer in Iran, with an annual age-standardized incidence varying from 0.10 to 0.17 per 100,000 in males and from 0.06 to 0.08 per 100,000 in females. KS, however, is one of the most important malignancies in Iranian renal transplanted patients affecting up to 2.4% of organ recipients. The epidemiology of HHV8 and KS in Iran needs further evaluation. While the high prevalence of HHV-8 antibodies in HIV positive and haemodialysis individuals may be attributed to high-risk sexual behavior and polytransfusions, respectively, unknown determinants may be responsible for high seroprevalence of HHV8 and high incidence of KS in solid organ recipients. A global survey on HHV8 seroprevalence in Iran is mandatory to define co-factors associated with HHV8 infection and KS risk in the general Iranian population and in specific patient groups.

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