In the January 31, 2007 online
edition of the Journal of Virology, French researchers described a strain
of HCV that appears to combine 2 previously recognized genotypes.
The 9.2
kb sequence of an HCV strain found in Southwest France was compared to those of
reference strains in HCV sequence databases. The investigators discovered a recombinant
virus with genotype 2 at the 5' end and genotype 5 at the 3' end. The crossover
point was located between genes NS2 and NS3.
"Recombination between
HCV genotypes must now be considered in studies on HCV virus epidemiology and
evolution, and predictions of the virus response to antiviral therapy," the
authors concluded. "The location of the recombination point may also be useful
for constructing infectious chimeric viruses."
02/16/07
Reference F
LeGrand-Abravanel, J Claudinon, F Nicot, and others. A new natural intergenotypic
(2/5) recombinant of Hepatitis C virus. Journal of Virology. January 31,
2007 [Epub ahead of print].
