title: Detection and analysis of hepatitis C virus by a combined RT-PCR method: variation in the 5' non-coding region of the viral genome.
abstract: A combined reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was employed for the detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in serum from patients with chronic active hepatitis, with primers corresponding to the 5' non-coding region. The diagnosis was based on serological and biochemical methods and on liver biopsy. HCV-RNA was detected in 27 (90%) of 30 sera examined. The nucleotide sequence of PCR-amplified HCV cDNAs (256 bp) was determined from five specimens and heterogeneity varying between 0.58% and 2.89% among the clinical samples and the prototype HCV-1 was found.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karachristos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Linardopoulos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ergazaki
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spandidos
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012367:RNA, Viral