Subtype analysis of hepatitis C virus in Indonesia on the basis of NS5b region sequences.

A recently identified subtype of hepatitis C virus, subtype 1d, was found to be common in Indonesia, being isolated from 4 (20%) of 20 and 11 (34%) of 32 patients with chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis, respectively. A new group of sequence variants was also identified, although its prevalence ratio was not as high in the area surveyed.