Multiple genotypes and be determined. Several people have/had more than one. In fact, it's possible to have treatment and clear one, but not the other. (Susan400)
My question is will genotyping reveal multiple genotype infections or will it only reveal the most prevalent? If I've been typed as 2b is it at all possible that I also have another type and it's been undetected?
Should have mentioned that doc will order the genotyping test on your blood when he orders the PCR on your blood at the beginning of the pre-treatment screening work-up. He'll just need to test the one time for genotype.
Here's a pretty good explnation of genotypes.
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/genotype/explained.html
I like to think of types 1, 2, 3, 4 as being related to each other like cousins would be while subspecies 1a & 1b (2a & 2b, etc.) would be more closely related like brothers or sisters. The type one family is the toughest while the type 2 family would be the weaker one.
Hepatitis C is one virus, but there are some different 'strains', slight variations within the virus. There are several of these variations (genotypes). They matter because some of the genotypes (like geno 2 and 3) respond much better to the current treatment therapy than others. The most common genotype in the US is genotype one and it has 2 sub-groups, 1a (the most common) and 1b.
Genotype 1 is less responsive to current drugs than 2 and 3, with a lower cure rate at the present time. Doctors will want to know your genotype to get an idea of how long they should plan for you to take the treatment meds.