Predominance of hepatitis C virus Q80K among NS3 baseline-resistance-associated amino acid variants in direct-antiviral-agent-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis: single-centre experience

In the era of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotyping tests at baseline are controversial. The HCV NS3-Q80K polymorphism is associated with resistance to the recently approved NS3 inhibitor simeprevir (SMV) when combined with PEG-interferon and ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) and alternative therapy should be considered for patients with baseline Q80K. The aim of this study was to provide an estimate of Q80K prevalence at baseline in a study group of 205 DAA-naïve patients (21 % of them with HIV coinfection) using NS3 full-population direct sequencing to detect resistance-associated amino acid variants (RAVs). NS3 RAVs were identified in 56 patients (27.3 %). Q80K was the most frequently reported one (41 %), in both HIV/HCV-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected patients, but it was only detectable in cases of HCV-subtype 1a infection. Therefore, in clinical practice, an NS3-Q80K genotyping test prior to simeprevir plus PEG-IFN/RBV treatment is highly recommended.