ABSTRACT
The genotyping of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) by viral nucleic acids sequencing allows accurate epidemiological evaluation of a cohort of patients suffering from HCV-related chronic hepatopathy. The identification of viral isolates, which can be generally associated with hepatic damage or, vice versa, which are more responsive to pharmacological treatment, might enhance clinical interest on the nature of the infecting genotypes. We, therefore, draw attention to those viral genotypes that are characterised by significantly high or altered viremic and enzymatic levels.
Subject(s)
Genetic Variation , Hepacivirus/isolation & purification , Hepatitis C, Chronic/epidemiology , 5' Untranslated Regions/genetics , Adult , Aged , Cohort Studies , Female , Genotype , Hepacivirus/genetics , Hepatitis C, Chronic/pathology , Hepatitis C, Chronic/virology , Humans , Liver/pathology , Liver Diseases/epidemiology , Liver Diseases/pathology , Liver Diseases/virology , Male , Middle Aged , RNA, Viral/analysis , RNA, Viral/blood , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Viral LoadABSTRACT
HCV genotyping by nucleic acid sequencing emphasizes the difficulties involved in carrying out a more precise determination of the infectant viral population, probably due in part to the finding of still unknown isolates. Signs of heterogeneity in the genotype composition of the viral quasi-species and its evolutionary dynamism over time, together with the role played by some, more potentially aggressive, isolates in causing hepatic damage, encourage a more in-depth study of such topics.
Subject(s)
Hepacivirus/genetics , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Hepatitis C/virology , Alanine Transaminase/blood , Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood , DNA, Viral/analysis , Genetic Heterogeneity , Genotype , Hepacivirus/isolation & purification , Humans , Viral LoadABSTRACT
The association analysis of antibodies versus HCV, carried out with INNOLIA test, prevented a clear determination of the existence of specific serological patterns. In this respect, it may be of interest to monitor the immune response to the non-structural genomic regions (NS3, NS4, NS5). The INNOLIA kit is reliable, but susceptible to improvement in terms of specificity, sensitivity and biological standardization.
