title: Hepatitis C virus serotypes and liver pathology.
abstract: The present study aimed to analyze the pathology of chronic hepatitis C in relation to HCV serotype, and to speculate on possible differences in the pathogenesis of liver injury. Liver biopsies were investigated from 59 consecutive patients in whom hepatitis C virus genotypes were determined by a serological genotyping assay that detects antibodies directed to epitopes encoded by the NS4 region. A morphological study was performed in each case, semiquantitatively scoring necro-inflammatory and fibrotic liver lesions. The prevalence of HCV serotypes was as follows: 26 of the 59 patients (44%) had type 1 infection, 11 (19%) had type 2 and 20 (35%) had type 3. A significant association between intravenous drug abuse and serotype 3 infection was observed. Patients with HCV type 2 proved significantly older than patients with infection type 1 or 3, and more frequently they showed a more active liver disease, but no differences were found in the quality and acinar topographic distribution of all the morphological lesions scored. In conclusion, in chronic hepatitis C a more active liver disease can be related to HCV serotype 2 but the spectrum of liver lesions is independent of HCV types. From a morphological point of view, a different pathogenesis of liver injury related to different HCV types is unlikely.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Istochimica & Immunoistochimica Patologica, Università di Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guido
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rugge
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Thung
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chemello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leandro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cecchetto
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pontisso
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cavalletto
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ninfo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012703:Serotyping