Hepatitis C virus genotyping: clinical implications and methods.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronically infects at least 1% of the world's population and is a leading cause of end-stage liver disease. HCV displays a remarkable degree of genomic diversity, with the six major genotypes and numerous subtypes differing in geographic distribution. The ability of this virus to cause persistent infections is a direct result of its genomic plasticity and the evolution of quasispecies within an infected individual. HCV genotype has emerged as an important factor both in predicting a sustained response to, and in determining the duration of, antiviral therapy. Although a variety of methods have been used for genotyping HCV, nucleotide sequencing of a phylogenetically informative region remains the gold standard.
Nolte
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Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. fnolte@emopry.edu
D000818:Animals; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*