Quasispecies of genotype 4 of hepatitis C virus genomes in Saudi patients managed with interferon alfa and ribavirin therapy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection do not respond to antiviral treatment, possibly due to viral quasispecies. We aimed to investigate whether the quasispecies population could be used as a predictor of response to therapy in our patients. METHODS: The quasispecies of HCV genotype 4 (HCV-4) were studied in 25 naïve Saudi patients at zero, three, and six months following interferon alfa and ribavirin combination therapy. Hypervariable region 1 within the E2/NS1 gene of the virus was analyzed by the single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique after amplification. RESULTS: Pretreatment DNA bands by SSCP (2-7 bands) were detected in all patients. In those who achieved a complete virological response within six months (viral load P=.53). Two of the four patients with pretreatment high viral load and the same or decreased composition of quasispecies bands responded to the therapy. CONCLUSION: Quasispecies in our studied patients cannot be used to predict responsiveness to treatment, but may offer an explanation for failure of most HCV-4 patients to respond to interferon alfa and ribavirin therapy.