Quasispecies heterogeneity within the E1/E2 region as a pretreatment variable during pegylated interferon therapy of chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

ABSTRACT: A series of 29 patients undergoing treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection with pegylated alpha-2a interferon plus ribavirin were studied for patterns of response to antiviral therapy and viral quasispecies evolution. All patients were treatment naive and had chronic inflammation and fibrosis on biopsy. As part of an analysis of pretreatment variables that might affect the outcome of treatment, genetic heterogeneity within the viral E1-E2 glycoprotein region (nucleotides 851 to 2280) was assessed by sequencing 10 to 15 quasispecies clones per patient from serum-derived PCR products. Genetic parameters were examined with respect to response to therapy based on serum viral RNA loads at 12 weeks (early viral response) and at 24 weeks posttreatment (sustained viral r

SUBMITTER: Chambers TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC548442 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature