Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
135456 tn?1301437624

Read This

This is interesting.

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2006roberts/hcv/080906_a.html
12 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
10064531 tn?1408149001
QWC
I just found out I have Genotype 1a AND 2, when , for the past 6 years, they told me I had just the genotype 1.  I am really alarmed at this new info and am having trouble finding info on it.  I plan on going on the new interferon-FREE treatment when it is ready;  but now I do not know if it will "REALLY CURE me"  since I have 2 , (multiple genotypes).  Do you know anything about this?  Is it harder to cure?  Why didn't they tell me this 6 years ago when I was diagnosed and had a biopsy.
Helpful - 0
96938 tn?1189799858
Kind of reminds me of how Lawrence Welk started all of his conducted music pieces ' a one, and a two'
Helpful - 0
96938 tn?1189799858
I've got to say that the biology vocabulary hurts my head.  I'm not surprised that there may be more people with multiple genotypes - we have a few here.  But,  they always seem to be in the same geno (ie 1a/1b).  I wonder what makes one more dominant - the VL (more of one than another) or if say the presence of 1 trumps 2 and 3. Dunno.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i was thinking the same thing....it seems they only get what they look for, and might have to test further to find out other possibilities.....i remember back in the late 70's i went to give blood and was told i had what showed up as hepatitis non-a and non-b.....so years later we find out this little devil is hep-c....my doctor told me now there is a hepatitis that is non-a non-b and non-c...another strain?  i don't know...it is scary..hopefully my tx knocked every strain on their little butts
Helpful - 0
87972 tn?1322661239
Further reading on mixed genotype;

From the study

:http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1248436

"...The majority of the HCV genotyping assays in use today were designed to identify only the dominant HCV genotype in a sample and consequently are unable or limited in their ability to identify multiple genotypes in patients infected with more than one strain of HCV. Hu et al. (7) have found that of the HCV infections determined to contain mixed genotypes by DNA sequencing, only 36%, 17%, and 14% were accurately identified as mixtures by type-specific PCR, line probe, and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses, respectively. Furthermore, DNA sequencing itself was unable to detect 40% of the mixed-genotype infections and could not reliably detect genotypes that were present in mixtures at levels below 25% (7). Consequently, most currently available genotyping methods are unable to assess the prevalence of mixed-genotype infections, which may have a significant impact on the interpretation of clinical studies addressing genotype-specific responses to interferon and interferon combination therapies..."

And, in part:

"...Sensitive and accurate detection of mixed-genotype HCV infections has become an increasingly important requirement of genotyping assays. First, the severity of hepatitis C and patient response to current antiviral therapies seem, at least in part, to be determined by the genotype of the infecting HCV strain (26). Second, mixed-genotype infections may be more common than previously reported given the typical routes of HCV infection and the inadequate sensitivity of most genotyping assays to detect them (20). Among HCV-infected Canadians, mixed genotypes have been found in 8% of HCV-positive blood donors, 14% of patients with chronic hepatitis C, and 17% of thalassemia patients who had received multiple transfusions (7). Thus, the need for HCV genotyping assays able to accurately detect mixed infections is warranted by the appreciable occurrence of such infections and their potential impact on the patient response to antiviral treatment.

Any thoughts/ contempations?

Bill
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have noticed that those with 2 geno's who don't clear after tx, still have two geno's.  I mean, why doesn't at least one type clear?  Does two geno's raise the "curse" exponentially?  Just something I have always wondered about.  Good reading and thoughts posted too.  Thanks.

miss
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was just curious...it looks like a lot of us could be co-infected also after reading all of this stuff and my question is, can they tell if you are co-infected just by the average blood work that they do or are there some special tests they have to perform to find that out? Do they still treat (tx) the same if someone is co-infected? Do they adjust tx differently?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My two ... I am 2a and 2c.   I sure hope that does not mean I won't clear or may have to do extended treatments to clear.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ha, Haaa...
Yea the vocabulary hurts my head too... (I was never good at all the technical stuff) I always need it put in laymans terms!

There was some small French Study That actually showed & explained this pretty good based on hemophillia patients... (I'll have to find it) It showed a switch over on mixed genotypes to one or another... but that was mainly between the combo of a (3a & 2)... like 18% (?) maybe did ?

As far as the 1a, 1 b combo group goes ...

WAIT A MINUTE... I Think This is it!
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/46941/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Abstract
The distribution and kinetics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and the prevalence of mixed infections were studied in a group of 45 French patients with haemophilia A or B or von Willebrand's disease, 21 of them being anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive;

genotyping was carried out by three methods based on the core, 5 untranslated region (5 UTR), and the detection of type-specific NS4 antibodies.

Genotyping of the 5UTR revealed genotypes 1a (n = 10), 1b (n = 13), 2a (n = 3), 2b (n = 4), 2NC (n = 3), 3a (n = 10), and two mixed infections (1a + 1b and 3a + 2). Five of 33 patients showed a change from one HCV genotype to another.

The core genotyping assay showed 8 of 45 mixed infections: 6/8 1a + 1b and 2/8 3a + 2.

Sequencing of core polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products showed that mixed infection 1a + 1b could be explained by nonspecific annealing of the 1b primer to type 1a sequence.

By designing new primers whose sequence was more specific to HCV types 1a and 1b, we could confirm 1a + 1b mixed infection in only one of six cases.

Serotyping assay showed for 17 of 21 anti-HIV negative patients a concordance with the 5 UTR genotype; however, only 6 of 19 anti-HIV positive patients showed detectable serological reactivity.

In summary, we have observed a similar HCV genotype distribution between our haemophilic group and the French anti-HCV positive patients.

The study demonstrates the difficulties of assessing with the presently available genotyping and serotyping assays the real prevalence of mixed infections in multiply transfused patients.  



Helpful - 0
87972 tn?1322661239
You both pose good questions; I
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow........considering I know I am infected with two geno's I'm wondering if I could have MORE variants ... that is some seriously SCARY stuff there.  24% have two genotypes? I only know if two other people who do so that seems to be a HUGE difference if it is going unreported or noticed. Might be why some haave a harder time getting SVR.

Thanks. That was depressing ;)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes, it is very interesting. TnHepGuy posted that link earlier today along with 2 more. See his news stories thread below. Mike
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community

Top Hepatitis Answerers
317787 tn?1473358451
DC
683231 tn?1467323017
Auburn, WA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Answer a few simple questions about your Hep C treatment journey.

Those who qualify may receive up to $100 for their time.
Explore More In Our Hep C Learning Center
image description
Learn about this treatable virus.
image description
Getting tested for this viral infection.
image description
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
image description
4 steps to getting on therapy.
image description
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
image description
How the drugs might affect you.
image description
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
Popular Resources
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.