Infectious cDNA Clone of GB Virus B and Uses Thereof

The current invention provides nucleic acid sequences comprising the genomes of infectious GB virus B, the most closely related member of the Flaviviridae to hepatitis C virus (HCV). It also covers chimeric GBVB-HCV sequences and polypeptides for use in the development of vaccines and diagnostic assays for HCV and the development of screening assays for the identification of antiviral agents for HCV. Additional information can be found in Bukh et al. (1999), Virology 262, 470-478.