title: Identification of the third major genotype of hepatitis C virus in France.
abstract: We have previously found type I and type II hepatitis C virus (HCV) as the predominant HCV genotypes in France. Here we report on the identification and partial characterization of a third major genotype there. This genotype showed only 93-94% sequence conservation to either type I or type II HCV in the 5' noncoding region. The point mutations changed the small open reading frames but not the proposed secondary structure of this region. Sequence of the structural protein region also differed significantly from other genotypes. The new genotype was found in 12% of HCV infections in France. Rapid method for the identification of this genotype was developed.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherche Sur Les Hépatites INSERM 271, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vitvitski
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trépo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D017354:Point Mutation; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins