摘要
Background: Hepatitis C virus infection is a great is- sue in China; however, there is very little informa- tion on genotyping investigations based on sequence variability in the 5' untranslated (5'UTR) reported. The present study was to define the sequence varia- bility based on the sequence divergences of the 5' UTR of the virus. Methods: Sequences of 91 isolates from patients with chronic hepatitis C from Yunnan, southwest China, were sequenced and genotypes were defined accord- ing to the sequence divergences of the 5' UTR of the virus. Results: Eighty-six isolates were classified into 3 clades (previously termed groups or major types) by the methods proposed by Chan et al in 1992 and phy- logenetic analysis based on nucleotide sequence diver- gences within the 5' UTR. Fifty-six percent of the i- solates were classified into clade 3, 35% into clade 1, and 34.9% into clade 2. New genotypes 1f, 2h, 3h and 3i were defined. In addition, 3 novel sequences were discovered, respectively with an 18-nt sequence deletion (corresponding to nucleotide position -173 to -156), a 28-nt sequence insertion, and a 40-nt se- quence insertion, between -56 and -55. Of these i- solates, 56% possessed a 'G' at position -66 in place of the 'T' that is present in all previously re- ported sequences. Conclusions: These HCV variants, evolved or re- mained in this area, may be of great significance in diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C patients.
Background: Hepatitis C virus infection is a great is- sue in China; however, there is very little informa- tion on genotyping investigations based on sequence variability in the 5' untranslated (5'UTR) reported. The present study was to define the sequence varia- bility based on the sequence divergences of the 5' UTR of the virus. Methods: Sequences of 91 isolates from patients with chronic hepatitis C from Yunnan, southwest China, were sequenced and genotypes were defined accord- ing to the sequence divergences of the 5' UTR of the virus. Results: Eighty-six isolates were classified into 3 clades (previously termed groups or major types) by the methods proposed by Chan et al in 1992 and phy- logenetic analysis based on nucleotide sequence diver- gences within the 5' UTR. Fifty-six percent of the i- solates were classified into clade 3, 35% into clade 1, and 34.9% into clade 2. New genotypes 1f, 2h, 3h and 3i were defined. In addition, 3 novel sequences were discovered, respectively with an 18-nt sequence deletion (corresponding to nucleotide position -173 to -156), a 28-nt sequence insertion, and a 40-nt se- quence insertion, between -56 and -55. Of these i- solates, 56% possessed a 'G' at position -66 in place of the 'T' that is present in all previously re- ported sequences. Conclusions: These HCV variants, evolved or re- mained in this area, may be of great significance in diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C patients.
基金
This study was supported by research grants from ICGEB Collaborative Research Program (CRP/CHN96-05) and from China Yunnan Provincial Science & Technology Commission International Collaborative Research Program (97C009).
