Specific detection of naturally occurring hepatitis C virus mutants with resistance to telaprevir and boceprevir (protease inhibitors) among treatment-naive infected individuals.

ABSTRACT: The use of telaprevir and boceprevir, both protease inhibitors (PI), as part of the specifically targeted antiviral therapy for hepatitis C (STAT-C) has significantly improved sustained virologic response (SVR) rates. However, different clinical studies have also identified several mutations associated with viral resistance to both PIs. In the absence of selective pressure, drug-resistant hepatitis C virus (HCV) mutants are generally present at low frequency, making mutation detection challenging. Here, we describe a mismatch amplification mutation assay (MAMA) PCR method for the specific detection of naturally occurring drug-resistant HCV mutants. MAMA PCR successfully identified the corresponding HCV variants, while conventional methods such as direct sequencing, endpoint limiting diluti

SUBMITTER: Fonseca-Coronado S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3264164 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature