Ultrastructural and physicochemical characterization of the hepatitis C virus recovered from the serum of an agammaglobulinemic patient

Arch Virol. 1998;143(11):2241-5. doi: 10.1007/s007050050455.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) morphology and physicochemical properties remain unclear because HCV usually circulates in a complexed form in association with immunoglobulins. In the present work, we were interested in the characterization of HCV particles derived from the serum of an anti-HCV negative/HCV RNA positive agammaglobulinemic patient suffering from chronic type C hepatitis. Physicochemical properties of the virus particles were determined by serum centrifugation on a 10-60% isopycnic sucrose density gradient. HCV RNA quantified by bDNA was found in a major peak at density 1.13 g/ml and in a minor peak at densities 1.05-1.07 g/ml. By electron microscopy, 45 nm large core-like particles were found at the 1.13 g/ml density while 60 nm large virus-like particles similar to other members of the Flaviviridae family were visualized at the 1.06-1.07 g/ml densities. This confirms some studies reporting the low density of HCV as compared to other members of the Flaviviridae family.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Agammaglobulinemia / blood
  • Agammaglobulinemia / virology*
  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Hepacivirus / chemistry*
  • Hepacivirus / ultrastructure*
  • Hepatitis C / blood*
  • Hepatitis C / virology
  • Humans