Hepatitis C virus genotypes in different regions of the former Soviet Union (Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Uzbekistan)

The prevalence of HCV genotypes in four republics of the former Soviet Union (Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Uzbekistan) was investigated. Overall, 197 HCV isolates from 66 blood donors and 131 patients with chronic hepatitis were typed. Viral sequences from sera of infected subjects were amplified by nested RT-PCR using primers from the core region and typed by one or two techniques: (1) DNA enzyme immunoassay (DEIA) and (2) PCR with a set of type-specific primers. Only three major HCV genotypes were identified in this study population. HCV 1b was found to be the predominant virus type both among blood donors and chronic hepatitis patients, followed by 3a, 2a, and 1a (chronic hepatitis patients: 1b-82%; 3a-10%; 2a-4%, 1a-5% and 2c-1%; blood donors: 1b-77%; 3a-17%; and 2a-6%). No significant difference in genotype distribution was observed between different countries or between blood donors and chronic hepatitis patients within the same country. Results of the genotyping procedures were confirmed by direct sequencing of 216 nt PCR fragments corresponding to part of HCV core gene. Phylogenetic analysis of HCV 1b sequences from this study and from the Genbank demonstrated that the sequences from the former Soviet Union do not form evolutionary lineage(s) different from those of strains of the same subtype circulating in other geographical regions.