Role of viral isolate in the etiopathogenetic determinism of HCV infection: Diagnostic and epidemiological evaluation

HCV genotyping by nucleic acid sequencing emphasizes the difficulties invol ved in carrying out a more precise determination of the infectant viral pop ulation, probably due in part to the finding of still unknown isolates. Sig ns of heterogeneity in the genotype composition of the viral quasi-species and its evolutionary dynamism over time, together with the role played by s ome, more potentially aggressive, isolates in causing hepatic damage, encou rage a more in-depth study of such topics.