Hepatitis C virus serotypes in Romanian patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serotypes in Romanian patients with chronic hepatitis infections and the association between them and disease's severity.


METHODS
Anti-HCV antibodies were first investigated by an indirect ELISA (Murex IIIrd generation). From 55 patients positive for anti-HCV, 22 patients (11 female and 11 male) with chronic active hepatitis (CAH--6 cases), chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH--11 cases) and cirrhosis (C--5 cases) were tested for HCV serotypes using an indirect ELISA (Murex HCV Serotypes 1-6 Assay). The average age for the selected group was 47.2 years (range 27 divided by 68).


RESULTS
In the first study from our region concerning this subject we have found the following serotypes distribution: serotype 1--68.18% (6/11--CPH; 4/6--CAH; 5/5--C); serotypes 2, 3, 4, and 6--4.54% for each of them (all were CPH cases); untypable--13.65% (2 with CAH and 1 CPH respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
(1) The serotype 1 seems to be predominant in our region in patients with chronic HCV infections and it is associated with the most severe cases. (2) The diversity of serotypes is higher compared with previous study group results (e.g. in haemodialized patients the serotype 1 was determined in almost 100% cases--unpublished data). (3) Untypable strains (13.65%) require the sequence analysis for HCV genome characterization.
Iancu
Luminiţa Smaranda
LS
IVth Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa Iaşi.
Pandele
G I
GI
Stanciu
C
C
Luca
V
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003196:Computer Graphics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012703:Serotyping
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies