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Genotype-dependent serologic reactivities in patients infected with hepatitis C virus in the United States
N N Zein1, J Rakela, D H Persing
1Division of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate the serologic reactivities in patients infected with different hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes to four HCV proteins that are components of the second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay.
Material And Methods:
Serum samples from 36 patients with chronic HCV infection were obtained. RNA was extracted by using chaotropic lysis and isopropanol precipitation. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of the NS-5 region was performed, followed by automated single-pass dideoxy sequencing of desalted amplification products. Classification of isolated HCV subtypes was based on Simmonds' system. All samples were tested for antibodies to proteins 5-1-1, C100-3, C33c, and C22-3 with the second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay.
Results:
Reactivity to protein 5-1-1 was significantly lower for patients with genotypes 2b and 3a than for those infected with HCV types 1a or 1b (P < 0.05). Antibody reactivity to the C100-3 protein was also reduced in patients infected with HCV types 2b and 3a.
Conclusion:
These data indicate that the genotype-dependent differences in serologic reactivities are substantial among patients with chronic HCV infection.