Is is possible to have genotype 1a and 1b in HCV?

[Bonnice53]

The first time I was diagnosed with HCV, I was told I was 1a. Now, 10 years later, I am told that I am 1a and 1b. Can this be a mistake? How could this happen?

[ChrisDDD]

I have been told for as long as genotyping was possible that I was genotype 1b, the hardest to cure.  Then at my appointment with my hepatologist in April I was told I'm 1a, the most difficult to cure, and that the switch was because of more advanced technology in determining genotype.  I really don't care as long as I get well.  Good luck!

[susan400]

Yes!  When I was first diagnosed in 1994 I didn't have my genotype done.  In 1997 on my first treatment I was genotyped and I was a definite 1A/1B.  After around treatment number 4, I was in a clinical trial and they re-genotyped me and I had converted to genotype 1A and had gotten rid of the 1B.  It's even possible to get rid of one strain and keep the other, or clear both at the same time, as in my friend on her NYGirl, she had 1A/1B and she cleared both at the same time.  Susan400

[Bonnice53]

Thank you for your response. I appreciate it.

[Bonnice53]

Thank you so much! I just read my labs online, thought there was a mistake. I appreciate you, taking the time to answer and explain things to me!

[hepcandme]

Sigh. Apparently, yes

When I completed my treatment with Sovaldi/Olysio, my doc asked me to take another blood test to confirm my Genotype

Still not clear since one doc responded with Geno 1A and another NP (who presumably read the same lab results) reported Geno 1B

One would think that would be fairly straight forward, right?

Is it possible to be cured of one part of a dual infection and still be infected with the other?

Since one's genotype plays a very important role in treatment options, how does that affect decisions about new treatments?

Just when you think you have a road map, it turns out that you can have several different strains of Hep C!

[hrsepwrguy]

Yes it is possible

Dual/mixed HCV infections

A number of studies have reported dual (or mixed) HCV infections. As illustrated in Figure 1, dual infection occurs when an individual is infected with HCV derived from at least two individuals (for example, haemophiliacs given HCV-infected blood derived from multiple individuals prior to when screening of the blood supply for HCV was implemented [9]). Population studies of dual infection have reported dual infection rates of 10% of individuals in other studies [20,28-32], implying that repeat exposures to HCV are common or that there is limited immunological capacity to clear multiple HCV infections. As with HCV clearance and reinfection, multiple study design and biological factors may contribute to considerable variation in the prevalence of dual infection among distinct populations. Dual infections can be further divided into coinfections and superinfections. Coinfection is defined as infection with at least two heterologous HCVs simultaneously or within a narrow period of time [9].

http://www.natap.org/2013/HCV/101013_08.htm