Prevalence of hepatitis C virus with different genotypes determined by a group-specific antibody assay in Japanese patients with chronic liver diseases due to hepatitis C virus infection.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes (groups I and II) were determined by a newly developed C14 assay in which antibodies against group-specific recombinant proteins of the NS4 region were measured by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The genotypes determined by the C14 assay were compared to those determined by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 50 patients. The HCV genotypes determined by both methods were consistent in 78% of the patients. The results of the assays were not contradictory in any patient. The sensitivity of the C14 assay was as high as over 90%. Frequency of HCV genotypes was studied in 300 patients with chronic liver diseases type C by using the C14 assay. The prevalence of groups I and that of II in patients with chronic hepatitis were 73% and 21%, the correspondence figures in those with liver cirrhosis 80% and 13%, and in those with hepatocellular carcinoma 81% and 13%, respectively. The clinical characteristics were similar between the patients with group I and II HCV infections in each disease category. In conclusion, the C14 assay is useful for epidemiological studies of HCV genotypes, and group I is a major HCV genotype of chronic liver diseases type C in Japan.
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano.
E
E
Tanaka
K
K
Kiyosawa
A
A
Matsumoto
T
T
Sodeyama
A
A
Urushihara
T
T
Suzuki
M
M
Kobayashi
S
S
Furuta
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence