Sequence variability of hepatitis C virus and its clinical relevance
- 1 September 1994
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Viral Hepatitis
- Vol. 1 (1), 3-15
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2893.1994.tb00057.x
Abstract
Chronic type C hepatitis is a potentially serious disease that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This complex disease is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a positive sense, single-stranded RNA virus. HCV has been assigned to a separate genus within the Flaviviridae, and shares a close relationship to the pestiviruses. Nucleotide sequence variation has been observed in genomes amplified from serum of patients with HCV infection, and cloning of RNA amplified from patients infected with HCV has confirmed the heterogeneity of the agent responsible for post-transfusion and sporadic hepatitis C. The variability of HCV is structured in a way that immediately suggests a two tiered classification: this nomenclature comprises 'types' corresponding to the major branches in a phylogenetic tree of sequences from genomic or subgenomic regions of the genome, and 'subtypes', corresponding to the more closely related sequences within some of the major groups. This genotyping designation has provided an epidemiological tool for studying geographical differences in hepatitis C infection. Clearly discernible patterns of genotype distribution have been found in those countries that have been studied so far. In many European countries genotype distributions vary with the age of patients, reflecting rapid changes in genotype distribution with time within a single geographical area. Unfortunately we know very little about modes of transmission within different communities. There is considerable interest in the clinical significance of different HCV genotypes, and the intriguing question of whether these differences may affect the spectrum of the disease associated with hepatitis C. These data also have implications for diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic hepatitis C. A uniform typing scheme and nomenclature will facilitate our understanding of the disease caused by this virus worldwide.Keywords
This publication has 112 references indexed in Scilit:
- The hepatitis C virus genome: a guide to its conserved sequences and candidate epitopesVirus Research, 1993
- Expression and characterization of glycoprotein gp35 of hepatitis C virus using recombinant vaccinia virusJournal of General Virology, 1992
- Molecular cloning of hepatitis C virus genome from a single Japanese carrier: sequence variation within the same individual and among infected individualsVirus Research, 1992
- A new type of hepatitis C virus in patients in ThailandBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 1992
- Marked sequence diversity in the putative envelope proteins of hepatitis C virusesVirus Research, 1992
- Analysis of genomic variability of hepatitis C virusJournal of Hepatology, 1991
- Characterization of nucleotide sequences from European hepatitis C virus isolatesGene, 1991
- Hypervariable regions in the putative glycoprotein of hepatitis C virusBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 1991
- The Putative Nucleocapsid and Envelope Protein Genes of Hepatitis C Virus Determined by Comparison of the Nucleotide Sequences of Two Isolates Derived from an Experimentally Infected Chimpanzee and Healthy Human CarriersJournal of General Virology, 1990
- There are two major types of hepatitis C virus in JapanBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 1990