Quasispecies evolution in NS5A region of hepatitis C virus genotype 1b during interferon or combined interferon-ribavirin therapy

Table 5 Number of amino acids mutations observed in six different regions from NS5A protein, at baseline mean ± SD

NS5A region (aa range)	2 groups (D0)(n = 147)	SVR (D0)(n = 99)	NR (D0)(n = 48)	SVR (M3)(n = 51)	NR (M3)(n = 32)	NR (M6)(n = 26)
ISDR (2209-2248)	1.5 ± 1.6	1.3 ± 1.7	1.9 ± 1.1	0.8 ± 0.8	2.1 ± 1.0	1.8 ± 1.2
PKRbd (2209-2274)	5.4 ± 2.1	5.3 ± 2.4	5.7 ± 1.2	4.7 ± 1.6	6.1 ± 1.0	5.7 ± 1.3
V3 (2353-2379)	5.5 ± 1.4	6.0 ± 1.5	4.7 ± 0.6	6.1 ± 1.3	4.8 ± 0.7	5.1 ± 0.6
Complete NS5A (1973-2208)	32.6 ± 5.6	33.9 ± 6.0	29.8 ± 3.7	31.7 ± 5.3	30.8 ± 3.9	31.9 ± 2.9
N-terminal part of NS5A (1973-2208)	12.4 ± 3.1	12.9 ± 3.3	11.6 ± 2.4	11.7 ± 2.0	11.2 ± 2.1	12.8 ± 2.1
C-terminal part of NS5A (2209-2419)	20.1 ± 3.9	21.1 ± 4.1	18.2 ± 2.4	20.1 ± 4.2	19.6 ± 2.9	19.4 ± 3.4

n: number of PCR products analyzed; SVR: Sustained Responders; NR: Non-Responders to IFN-ribavirin therapy; D0: beginning of the treatment; M3: 3 mo of treatment; M6: 6 mo of treatment.