Background: Intergenotypic recombinant hepatitis C virus (HCV) strains emerge rarely during coinfection of the same individual with two HCV genotypes. Few recombinant HCV strains have been identified to date and only one, CRF01 2k/1b, has become a worldwide concern. This study reevaluated the genotyping of three HCV genotype 2 strains from a group of patients with an unusually low rate of sustained virological response after pegylated interferon/ribavirin treatment. In addition, genetic determinants of host interferon resistance were evaluated.
Methods: The HCV type 2 strains from the patients' serum were subjected to partial sequencing of the core-E1, NS2, NS5A and NS5B regions by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the IFNL3 rs12979860 and the IFNL4 rs368234815 single nucleotide polymorphisms were defined in two of the three patients.
Results: All three strains were phylogenetically related to the Russia-derived CRF01 2k/1b while they encompassed the exact same 2k/1b junction site within NS2.
Conclusion: This is the first report of HCV 2k/1b recombinants in Greece and the greater area of the Balkans.
Keywords: Hepatitis C virus; IFN-resistance; phylogenetic analysis; recombination.