HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-REPLICATION IN HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication is reported in both tumour and non -tumour tissue in a case of hepatocellular carcinoma. Viral replicatio n was established by showing the presence of minus strand HCV RNA by P CR amplification, after excluding residual reverse transcriptase activ ity of Tag polymerase. No minus strand was found in serum derived viri on RNA. PCR amplified products from both tumour and non-tumour parench yma were sequenced in the 5' non-coding region and shown to be identic al. The genotype of this Indonesian patient was found to be 1b (or II) , the most prevalent type in the Far East.