# General characteristics of the study population (N = 277).

![](pone.0231480.t001){#pone.0231480.t001g}

  Characteristics                    Genotypes                                    
  ---------------------------------- ---------------- ------------- ------------- ------------
  Gender N (%)                       M, 174 (62.81)   28 (60.86)    114 (67.85)   33 (52.38)
  F, 103 (37.18)                     18 (39.13)       54 (32.14)    30 (47.61)    
  Age (years) Mean±SD                51.15±9.75       45.91±10.42   50.64±11.01   
  ALT, Mean±SD                       58 ±5.32         56 ±3.05      56 ±3.43      
  AST Mean±SD                        48±2.51          42±3.11       45±4.02       
  HCV Viral quantification Mean±SD   5.90±2.98        6.32±3.56     6.17±2.82     

M = Male, F = Female, ALT = alanine aminotransferase, AST = aspartate aminotransferase

Prevalence of RAPs in the NS3 region {#sec010}
------------------------------------

Sequence analysis of HCV NS3 region showed overall 29.24% (81/277) of infected patients harbored RAPS at positions 36, 54, 55, 80, 122, 155, 158, 168 and 170 ([Table 2](#pone.0231480.t002){ref-type="table"}). Overall RAPs were found in 26.08% (12/46) of HCV-1a, 30.95% (52/168) of HCV-3a and 26.98% (17/63) of HCV-3b infected patients ([Fig 1](#pone.0231480.g001){ref-type="fig"}). The prevalence of RAPs was significantly higher (*P* = 0.026) in HCV-3a as compared to HCV-1a and HCV-3b. Among these, 64.19% (52/81) of individuals were found with one and 35.80% (29/81) with two RAPs.

![Frequency of RAPs among different HCV genotypes.](pone.0231480.g001){#pone.0231480.g001}

10.1371/journal.pone.0231480.t002

###### Pre-existing RAPs to NS3 protease inhibitors in different HCV genotypes.

![](pone.0231480.t002){#pone.0231480.t002g}

  Amino acid Position   HCV-1a (N = 46)     HCV-3a (N = 168)   HCV-3b (N = 63)
  --------------------- ------------------- ------------------ ------------------
  36                    V36A/G (10.87%)     V36L (8.33%)       V3