At least five related, but distinct, hepatitis C viral genotypes exist.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus, the major causative agent of blood-borne non-A, non-B hepatitis in the world, has been the subject of considerable nucleic acid sequence analysis. Although all reported hepatitis C sequences from the United States have been represented by the prototype hepatitis C virus type 1 sequence, two groups of variant sequences have been reported in Japan. However, we have noted five distinct, but related, genotypes (I-V) throughout the world, based on detailed sequence determination and analysis of the first 1700 nucleotides and part of the nonstructural region 5 at the C terminus of the open reading frme. The nucleotide sequence for a large number of hepaiis C virus islates sanning six continents was obtained by direct sequence analysis of PCR products after reverse transcription. Genotype was clafied by using several distinct sequence motifs. We observed that most genotypes coexist in several geographic regions, iuding the United States, Japan, Germany, and Italy. So far, genotype V has been found only in South Africa. Interestingly, each distinct genotype seems to be maintained throughout the genome in the segments tudied. These genotype dictions should be considered when d ing specific diagosic tests, developing potential vaccines, and studying viral transmio.Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was isolated from a chimpanzee chronically infected with a contaminated human factor VIII concentrate in 1989 (1). An immunoassay for circulating antibody to HCV was developed by using a yeast-derived recombinant antigen encoded by a segment of the cloned HCV genome (2). Results indicated HCV to be the major causative agent of the blood-borne non-A, non-B hepatitis (1-3).The genomic organization and characterization of HCV has been reported (4, 5). The HCV genome is a positivestrand RNA of -9.4 kilobases and contains a large open reading frame that encodes a polyprotein precursor of 3011 amino acids. Based on comparative sequence analysis of the genome and encoded polyprotein, HCV is thought to be distantly related to the flaviviruses and the pestiviruses. The large open reading frame appears to encode colinearly structural and nonstructural proteins, with the structural proteins located at the 5'-end portion of the genome. Putative boundaries are assigned that separate the 5'-untranslated region (5UT), the core protein (C), the glycoproteins envelope 1 (El) and nonstructural protein l/envelope 2 (NS1/E2), the nonstructural proteins 2-5 (NS2-NS5), and the 3'-untranslated region (3UT). The prototype HCV nucleotide sequence reported is termed HCV1 (refs. 4 and 5; see ref. 6 for review).Using pooled plasma samples from human non-A, non-B hepatitis patients and potential HCV carriers, Kato et al. (7), Takamizawa et al. (8), and Okamoto et al. (9) have reported entire genomic sequences of Japanese HCV strains. Some partial 5'-end HCV sequences from individual Japanese samples were reported by Takeuchi et al. (10,11) and Okamoto et al. (12). In addition, partial sequences in the NS3, NS4, and NS5 regions have been r...

The genotype of the hepatitis C virus in patients with HCV-related B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

“…When genotyping of these patients was performed we used the method of Cha et al 22 which allows the identification of four genotypes (1a,1b, 2 and 3), as previously mentioned. The lack of stocked serum prevented us from performing a second analysis with the method currently in use, which allows subtyping of genotypes.…”

“…The first 8 is based on the amplification of cDNA using two sets of primers specific for the 5′UTR and for the E region of HCV genome and subsequent Southern blot hybridization, using four 32 P-labeled genotype-specific oligonucleotide probes. 22 This assay allows the identification of four genotypes, respectively, 1a, 1b, 2, 3, according to Simmonds classification 23 but is very laborious and does not allow the identification of some clinically relevant types and subtypes. Due to these limitations a second assay (2nd generation Line Probe Assay, LiPA; Innogenetics, Brussels, Belgium) was recently adopted.…”

Hepatitis C virus variants from Jakarta, Indonesia classifiable into novel genotypes in the second (2e and 2f), tenth (10a) and eleventh (11a) genetic groups

“…(Simmonds et at., 1993;Simmonds, 1995). Up to the present, at least 34 genotypes in nine genetic groups have been reported (Cha et al, 1992;Mori et al, 1992;Bukh et al, 1993Bukh et al, , 1994Simmonds et al, 1993;Stuyver et al, 1993Stuyver et al, , 1994Okamoto et al, 1994;Tokita et al, 1994aTokita et al, , b, 1995. HCV genotypes have distinct geographical distributions.…”

Comparison of Hepatitis C Virus Strains Obtained From Hemodialysis Patients

“…Nucleotide sequence analyses of HCV clones isolated in different places in the world revealed that there are significant sequence diversities (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15). The analysis of the region of non-structure 5 (NS5) of the HCV genome found, at least five different HCV genotypes in the world (16). To understand the HCV genotypes existing in Taiwan, we employed the method of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in the NS5 region of HCV isolated from hemodialysis patients (antibody against HCV core antigen, OD >2).…”

“…Cha's classification (16) suggested that two genotypes of HCV were found in these serum samples; type 11 (2/18.2%) and type III (9/81.8%). Our study indicates also that NS5 is an adequate target region to differentiate HCV strains derived from different patients in the same hospital.…”