Miguel Angel Martínez, IrsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Viruses. 2020 Dec 29;13(1):41. doi: 10.3390/v13010041.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important human pathogen with a high chronicity rate. An estimated 71 million people worldwide are living with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection, which carries the risk of progression to hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Similar to other RNA viruses, HCV has a high rate of genetic variability generated by its high mutation rate and the actions of evolutionary forces over time. There are two levels of HCV genetic variability: intra-host variability, characterized by the distribution of HCV mutant genomes present in an infected individual, and inter-host variability, represented by the globally circulating viruses that give rise to different HCV genotypes and subtypes. HCV genetic diversity has important implications for virus persistence, pathogenesis, immune responses, transmission, and the development of successful vaccines and antiviral strategies. Here we will discuss how HCV genetic heterogeneity impacts viral spread and therapeutic control.
丙型肝炎病毒 (HCV) 是一种重要的人类病原体，具有很高的慢性率。据估计，全球有 7100 万人患有慢性丙型肝炎 (CHC) 感染，这种感染有进展为肝纤维化、肝硬化和肝细胞癌 (HCC) 的风险。与其他 RNA 病毒类似，HCV 的遗传变异性很高，这是由于其高突变率和随着时间的推移进化力量的作用所致。HCV 的遗传变异性有两个层次：宿主内变异性，其特征是存在于受感染个体中的 HCV 突变基因组的分布，以及宿主间变异性，由导致不同 HCV 基因型和亚型的全球循环病毒代表。HCV 的遗传多样性对病毒的持续存在、发病机制、免疫反应、传播以及成功的疫苗和抗病毒策略的发展具有重要意义。在这里，我们将讨论 HCV 遗传异质性如何影响病毒的传播和治疗控制。
