CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ANTIBODY PROFILES OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS-CPATIENTS - RELATION TO HEPATITIS-C VIRUS GENOTYPES

Genotyping of 179 consecutive Japanese chronic hepatitis C patients wa s carried out based on the variation in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) co re gene. The results were correlated with clinical features and antibo dy responses toward specific HCV proteins deduced from the nucleotide sequence of genotype I/1a. Genotypes II/1b, III/2a, and IV/2b were ide ntified in 138 (77%), 24 (13%), and 12 (7%) patients, respectively. Fi ve patients had double infections. Genotype dependence was observed on ly for antibody response toward the NS4 (5-1-1) protein, which was inf requent in genotype III/2a patients (33%) compared with genotype II/1b (81%; P < 0.01) and genotype IV/2b (75%; P < 0.05). Following interfe ron-alpha therapy, sustained aminotransferase normalisation was achiev ed by 89% (eight of nine) patients without antibody to the 5-1-1 prote in and 33% (17 of 51) with it (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that absence of antibody response to the 5-1-1 protein is frequent in geno type III/2a HCV carriers and may serve to predict responses to interfe ron therapy. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.