Hepatitis C virus genotypes in different regions of the former Soviet Union (Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Uzbekistan).

The prevalence of HCV genotypes in four republics of the former Soviet Union (Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Uzbekistan) was investigated. Overall, 197 HCV isolates from 66 blood donors and 131 patients with chronic hepatitis were typed. Viral sequences from sera of infected subjects were amplified by nested RT-PCR using primers from the core region and typed by one or two techniques: (1) DNA enzyme immunoassay (DEIA) and (2) PCR with a set of type-specific primers.