HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-RNA DETECTION AND HCV GENOTYPE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC NON-A, NON-B-HEPATITIS IN JAKARTA

Antibody response in HCV infection may be variable and the variability of the serological response could be due to the differences in HCV st rains. Since the distribution of hepatitis C virus genotype has been f ound to be geographically dependent, it is important to determine the distribution of HCV genotype in various countries with high prevalence of chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. In this study, serum HCV RNA was e xamined in 53 patients suspected of chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis wit h an anti-HCV test as determined by currently available assay. HCV vir emia was detected in 48 patients (90.6%). These patients had elevated serum ALT level at the time of HCV RNA determination. Using specific g enotype probes, all isolates were classified into three different geno types. Double and triple infections were also noted. HCV genotype Ib i s the predominant genotype found in chronic hepatitis C patients in Ja karta.