title: Frequent detection of hepatitis C virus subtype 3a (HCV-3a) isolates in Thailand by PCR using subtype-specific primers.
abstract: By means of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method using subtype-specific primers for hepatitis C virus (HCV) subtypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b and 3a, the prevalence of each subtype among HCV isolates in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was determined. HCV-3a appeared to be the most common subtype in blood donors, and was also frequently found in patients with liver disease. HCV-1b, but not HCV-2a or -2b, was also commonly found in this area, while a considerable percentage of the total HCV isolates still remained unclassifiable by the above methods. Serotype analysis of the HCV isolates using C14-1 and C14-2 recombinant peptides revealed that HCV-3a was likely to carry an antigenic determinant(s) different from those of the major types 1 (HCV-1a and -1b) and 2 (HCV-2a and -2b).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Apichartpiyakul
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyajima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizokami
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hotta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012703:Serotyping; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins