Distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) geno(sub)types among 215 Estonian p
atients hospitalized with acute or chronic hepatitis and with HCV RNA-posit
ive sera was investigated. For genotyping, both multiplex PCR with subtype-
specific primers of the core region and RFLP analysis of cDNA of the 5' NCR
region were used. These two methods permitted a correct characterization o
f genotypes, a more truthful characterization of mixed infections, and comb
ined use of single-tube performances. They revealed, respectively, 200 and
202 (93.0% and 93.9%) HCV-positive samples of sera, subtype 1a - 0.9% and 0
.9%, 1b - 56.3% and 64.2%, 3a - 13.9% and 22.3%, 2a - 6.5% and 5.6%, type 4
- 0.5% and 0%, mixed infections - 13.5% and 0%, and unidentified - 1.4% an
d 0.9%. In the majority of cases (84.7%) both methods gave completely or pa
rtially concordant results; in mixed infections, as determined by subtype-s
pecific PCR, only one subtype was revealed by the RFLP method. In the remai
ning 15.3% of the cases (Ohno - 7.0%, RFLP - 8.3%) only one of the methods
was positive. The epidemiological analysis of the dynamics of the subtypes'
relative participation may indicate increasing 3a and decreasing 1b subtyp
e infection during recent years.