Hepatitis C Virus Deletion Mutants Are Found in Individuals Chronically Infected with Genotype 1 Hepatitis C Virus in Association with Age, High Viral Load and Liver Inflammatory Activity.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) variants characterized by genomic deletions in the structural protein region have been sporadically detected in liver and serum of hepatitis C patients. These defective genomes are capable of autonomous RNA replication and are packaged into infectious viral particles in cells co-infected with the wild-type virus. The prevalence of such forms in the chronically HCV-infected population and the impact on the severity of liver disease or treatment outcome are currently unknown. In order to determine the prevalence of HCV defective variants and to study their association with clinical characteristics, a screening campaign was performed on pre-therapy serum samples from a well-characterized cohort of previously untreated genotype 1 HCV-infected patients who received treat

SUBMITTER: Cheroni C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4583497 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature