ISSN:
1573-2568
Keywords:
HEPATITIS C
;
GENOTYPE
;
SEROTYPE
;
ALCOHOLIC
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Genotyping of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNAcan be performed by a variety of methods followingpolymerase chain reaction amplification of a stable RNAportion of the genome. The gold standard isamplification of the RNA from the NS5 region, followed bydirect sequencing and homology comparison. This methodis extremely labor intensive. In this study, we comparedan immunoblot serotyping technique (HCV SIA) to a reversehybridization line-probe assay (LiPA)for genotype classification among non-alcoholic HCVinfected patients. We then compared and contrasted theresponse in this cohort to a population of alcoholic patients with HCV infection. To validate theserotype assay, sera from 110 patients with chronic HCVinfection was utilized. Serotyping (Chiron SIA) andgenotyping by the LiPA (Line Probe Assay, Innogenetics) reverse-hybridization technique was performed.Additionally, both methods were compared tosequence-derived genotyping in 26 patients based on PCRamplification of the NS5 region. After the validationphase, sera from 105 alcoholic patients wasgenotypically classified by the serologic method. Thenonalcoholic and alcoholic groups were then comparedwith regard to serotype, demographics, and frequency ofuntypable test results. Among typable pairs, the overallconcordance rate between serotyping and LiPA-basedgenotyping was 93.75% . Patients with genotype 1 byreverse hybridization demonstrated a 95.8% concordance with serotype. Untypable samples were presentfor both techniques, but since they occurred indifferent patients, the techniques were complementary.Alcoholic patients were significantly more likely to be infected with untypable serotypes than thosewithout a pattern of alcohol abuse. These patients werealso more likely to be HCV RNA negative than sera fromtypable patients. Serotype 1 was associated with high HCV RNA titer and poor interferontreatment response among both nonalcoholic and alcoholicpatients. An immunoblot method for the evaluation ofgenotype classification was rapid and easily performed compared to sequence-based genotyping. Therewas a high degree of concordance compared toreverse-hybridization and sequence-based genotypecharacterization methods. Failure to detect HCV RNA inthe serum is associated with a higher likelihood ofclassification failure. This problem was particularlyprevalent in the alcoholic population. HCV RNA titersand treatment outcomes were strongly associated with serotype classification results, demonstratingclinical utility of this assay technique.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1018870818662
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