SGM Journals
Research Article

Survey of major genotypes and subtypes of hepatitis C virus using RFLP of sequences amplified from the 5' non-coding region

Davidson, F., Simmonds, P., Ferguson, J. C., Jarvis, L. M., Dow, B. C., Follett, E. A. C., Seed, C. R. G., Krusius, T., Lin, C., Medgyesi, G. A., Kiyokawa, H., Olim, G., Duraisamy, G., Cuypers, T., Saeed, A. A., Teo, D., Conradie, J., Kew, M. C., Lin, M., Nuchaprayoon, C., Ndimbie, O. K., Yap, P. L.

Journal of General Virology 1995; 76(5):1197 · https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-76-5-1197

View at publisher PubMed

Abstract

1 Edinburgh and South East Scotland Blood Transfusion Service, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9HB, UK
2 Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK
3 Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Ruchill Hospital, Glasgow, UK
4 Australian Red Cross Society, Blood Transfusion Service, Perth, Australia
5 Finnish Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Helsinki, Finland
6 Hong Kong Red Cross Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Yaumatei, Hong Kong
7 National Institute of Haematology, Blood Transfusion and Immunology, 1113 Budapest, Hungary
8 Fukuoka Red Cross Blood Transfusion Centre, Fukuoka 818, Japan
9 Macau Blood Transfusion Centre, Av. Sidonio Pais 49 R/C AS, Macau
10 National Blood Services Centre, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Pahang, 50586 Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia
11 Central Laboratory of the Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
12 Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh 11159, Saudi Arabia
13 Singapore Blood Transfusion Service, National Blood Centre, Outram Road, Singapore 0316
14 The Natal Institute of Immunology, Division of The Natal Blood Transfusion Service, PO Box 2356, Durban 4000, South Africa
15 University of Witwatersrand, Medical School, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
16 Transfusion Medicine Laboratory, National Health Research Institute, Mackay Memorial Hospital Tapei, Taiwan
17 National Blood Centre, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
18 Central Blood Bank, 812 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA

A method is described for identifying different genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) by restriction endonuclease cleavage of sequences amplified by PCR from the 5' non-coding region. Using the enzymes HaeIII-RsaI and HinfI-MvaI, followed by cleavage with BstU1 or ScrFI, it was possible to identify and distinguish HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5 and 6. The method was used to investigate the prevalence of these genotypes in 723 blood donors in 15 countries, the largest survey to date, and one which covered a wide range of geographical regions (Europe, America, Africa and Asia). These results, combined with a review of the existing literature, indicate the existence of several distinct regional patterns of HCV genotype distribution, and provide the framework for future detailed epidemiological investigations of HCV transmission.