GENOTYPING OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS IN THE DOMINICAN-REPUBLIC

Genotyping of hepatitis C virus (HCV) of liver disease patients in the Dominican Republic was performed. Eighty-four samples positive for HC V antibody, which were confirmed by ELISA, particle agglutination, and recombinant immunoblot assay III tests, were subjected to HCV genotyp ing by polymerase chain reaction using type specific primers located i n the nonstructural protein 5 region. Of the 84 samples tested, 50 (59 %) were found to have genotype 1a/I and this genotype was the most fre quent type detected in the present study. The numbers of isolates of g enotypes 1b/II, 2a/III, 2b/IV, and 3a/V were three (3.6%) six (7.1%), two (2.4%), and two 2.4%), respectively. The number of samples having mixed genotype populations was 16 (19%). The possible causes of the hi gh prevalence of genotype 1a/I in the Dominican Republic compared with other countries and of the high detection ratio of samples having mix ed genotypes are discussed.