title: HCV genotypes and cryoglobulinemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the HCV genotype distribution in subjects affected by cryoglobulinemia in order to verify its possible role in the pathogenesis of the disease and to provide the clinician with a useful datum for therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nested PCR with universal and type-specific primers was used for the genotyping.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genotype I (1a) was never present in cryoglobulinemia, while it was present in 7 (4.3%) patients with chronic hepatopathy and in 4 (10.8%) asymptomatic patients. Type II (1b) was present in 28 (58.3%) and in 8 (47.1%) cryoglobulinemic patients with and without hepatopathy, respectively, in 106 (64.6%) patients with chronic hepatitis; in one patient with acute hepatitis; and in 14 (37.9%) asymptomatic patients. Type III (2a) was present in 2 (4.2%) and 2 (11.8%) cryoglobulinemic patients with and without hepatopathy, respectively; in 1 (0.6%) patient with chronic hepatopathy; and in 2 (5.4%) asymptomatic subjects. Type IV (2b) was present in 1 (2.1%) and in 2 (11.8%) cryoglobulinemic patients with and without hepatopathy, respectively; in 5 (3%) patients with chronic hepatopathy; and in 1 (2.7%) asymptomatic subject. Coinfections were present in 42 cases: 6 (12.5%) cryoglobulinemia with hepatopathy, 4 (23.5%) cryoglobulinemia without hepatopathy, 25 (15.3%) chronic hepatopathy, and in 7 (18.9%) asymptomatic subjects. For 41 (15.4%) strains typing was not possible. Eight of the "untypable" strains and 3 strains from patients with coinfection proved to belong to a new genotype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genotype II (1b) was the most frequent in patients with and without cryoglobulinemia; genotype I (1a) was absent in all 65 patients with cryoglobulinemia, in whom, however, as in the subjects without cryoglobulinemia, all the other genotypes could be found. An interferon-resistant genotype characterized by an elevated homology with Simmonds' type 2c (rare genotype) was present.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Microbiologia-Immunologia, Università di Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crovatto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ceselli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzaro
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Modolo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pozzato
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbisin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chiarotto
mesh_terms: D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral