Background: Recent studies have focused on whether different hepatitis C
virus (HCV) genotypes are associated with different profiles of pathogenicity,
infectivity, and response to antiviral therapy. We needed to develop a convenient
screening test for HCV genotypes 1 and 2.
Method: We tested 55 patients with known chronic HCV infection. Viral
RNA was extracted from serum samples using an automatic viral RNA purification
system, and HCV genotypes were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain
reaction using LightCycler melting curve analysis with SYBR Green I.
Results: HCV RNA was detected in all samples and each genotype was
determined. The mean (standard deviation) melting temperatures for subtypes 1b
(n = 32), 2a (n = 15) and 2b (n
= 8) were 93.14°C (0.51°C), 91.08°C (0.49°C) and 91.77°C (0.27°C), respectively.
Genotypes 1 and 2 were differentiated within 3 h by this method.
Conclusions: Our melting curve analysis is a rapid and convenient
screening test for differential identification of HCV genotypes 1 and 2.
