Elsevier

Virus Research

Volume 127, Issue 2, August 2007, Pages 131-150
Virus Research

Quasispecies and its impact on viral hepatitis

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2007.02.001Get rights and content

Abstract

Quasispecies dynamics mediates adaptability of RNA viruses through a number of mechanisms reviewed in the present article, with emphasis on the medical implications for the hepatitis viruses. We discuss replicative and non-replicative molecular mechanisms of genome variation, modulating effects of mutant spectra, and several modes of viral evolution that can affect viral pathogenesis. Relevant evolutionary events include the generation of minority virus variants with altered functional properties, and alterations of mutant spectrum complexity that can affect disease progression or response to treatment. The widespread occurrence of resistance to antiviral drugs encourages new strategies to control hepatic viral disease such as combination therapies and lethal mutagenesis. In particular, ribavirin may be exerting in some cases its antiviral activity with participation of its mutagenic action. Despite many unanswered questions, here we document that quasispecies dynamics has provided an interpretation of the adaptability of the hepatitis viruses, with features conceptually similar to those observed with other RNA viruses, a reflection of the common underlying Darwinian principles.

Keywords

HAV
HBV
HCV
HDV
Interferon
Lamivudine
Viral load
Liver damage
Mutation
Recombination
Editing
Persistence
Immune escape
Lethal mutagenesis
Error catastrophe

Cited by (0)

View Abstract