Serological determination of hepatitis C virus subtypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, and 4a by a recombinant immunoblot assay.

ABSTRACT: Serological determination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) subtypes has been hampered by the lack of suitable assays. Therefore, a recombinant immunoblot assay has been established for serological differentiation of HCV subtypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, and 4a. It consists of recombinant HCV proteins from the NS-4 region propagated in Escherichia coli. To confirm the serotyping assay results, the results were compared with those obtained by nucleotide sequencing of the NS-5 region. Sera from 157 patients with chronic HCV infection were examined by this assay, and specific antibodies could be detected in 86% (n = 135) of them. The HCV genotype was determined correctly in all but one sample, and the subtypes determined by the serotyping assay corresponded to the HCV subtypes detected by nucleotide sequ

SUBMITTER: Schroter M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC85286 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature