Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is considered to be the major agent of viral
hepatitis, resulting in chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and
hepatocellular carcinoma. Eleven HCV types, including at least 80 subtypes,
have already been described and shown to have different geographical
distribution. Several reports have suggested that HCV genotypes have
distinct clinical outcomes with regard to disease severity and response to
alfa-interferon. Differences in serological reactivity between HCV
genotypes have also been reported. In addition, vaccines against multiples
HCV genotypes will be necessary and, therefore, mapping the distribution of
viral genotypes is warranted. However, little is known about the genotypic
analysis of HCV in Latin America. In Brazil, previous studies were carried
out in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo (southeastern region), and Porto Alegre
(south region). Given the large size of the country, its mixture of
cultures and races, the diversity in climatological regions and social
conditions, and the limited amount of data concerning HCV genotypes in
other Brazilian regions, we decided to investigate the distribution of HCV
types and subtypes in blood donors from three different geographical
regions of Brazil.
