HEPATITIS-C VIRUS - STRUCTURAL AND GENETI C-VARIABILITY

Infection by hepatitis C virus is characterized by a high rate of chro nicity and low viremia. The virus has only been recently identified; i t is a positively stranded RNA virus which shows homology in its genet ic organisation with the Pestiviruses and Flaviviruses. There is not y et efficient culture system available. Several evidences indicate that the genetic variability of HCV genome might have important clinical i mplications; in particular infection by genotype Ib is less responsive to interferon treatment and, possibly, associated to more severe live r diseases.