RESUMEN

Genotyping of hepatitis C virus (HCV) of liver disease patients in the Dominican Republic was performed. Eighty-four samples positive for HCV antibody, which were confirmed by ELISA, particle agglutination, and recombinant immunoblot assay III tests, were subjected to HCV genotyping by polymerase chain reaction using type-specific primers located in 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 frequent type detected in the present study. The numbers of isolates of genotypes 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 high prevalence of genotype 1a/I in the Dominican Republic compared with other countries and of the high detection ratio of samples having mixed genotypes are discussed.

Asunto(s)

ADN Complementario/análisis , Anticuerpos contra la Hepatitis C/análisis , Hepatitis C/genética , ARN Viral/genética , Proteínas no Estructurales Virales/genética , Pruebas de Aglutinación , República Dominicana/epidemiología , Ensayo de Inmunoadsorción Enzimática , Femenino , Genotipo , Hepacivirus/genética , Hepacivirus/inmunología , Hepatitis C/epidemiología , Hepatitis C/inmunología , Humanos , Immunoblotting , Hepatopatías/diagnóstico , Hepatopatías/epidemiología , Hepatopatías/virología , Masculino , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Prevalencia , ARN Viral/análisis , ARN Viral/aislamiento & purificación , Proteínas Recombinantes/inmunología , Sensibilidad y Especificidad