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Basimane-Bisimwa P, Koyaweda GW, Ngaïganam E, Vickos U, Sibiro OAD, Yambiyo BM, Sombié BS, Pélembi P, Moussa S, Bekondi C, Giles-Vernick T, Manirakiza A, Vray M, Komas NPJ. Seroprevalence and molecular characterization of viral hepatitis and HIV co-infection in the Central African Republic. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0291155. [PMID: 38722944 PMCID: PMC11081248 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Central African Republic (CAR) is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of viral hepatitis infection in the world. Coinfection with HIV increases the morbidity and mortality beyond that of mono-infection with either hepatitis or HIV. The present study describes the geographic distribution of viral hepatitis infections and molecular characterization of these viruses in the CAR. METHODOLOGY Out of 12,599 persons enrolled during the fourth Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey of 2010 in the CAR, 10,621 Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples were obtained and stored at -20°C. Of these DBS, 4,317 samples were randomly selected to represent all regions of the CAR. Serological tests for hepatitis B, D, and C viruses were performed using the ELISA technique. Molecular characterization was performed to identify strains. RESULTS Of the 4,317 samples included, 53.2% were from men and 46.8% from women. The HBsAg prevalence among participants was 12.9% and that HBc-Ab was 19.7%. The overall prevalence of HCV was 0.6%. Co-infection of HIV/HBV was 1.1% and that of HBV/HDV was 16.6%. A total of 77 HBV, 6 HIV, and 6 HDV strains were successfully sequenced, with 72 HBV (93.5%) strains belonging to genotype E and 5 (6.5%) strains belonging to genotype D. The 6 HDV strains all belonged to clade 1, while 4 recombinants subtype were identified among the 6 strains of HIV. CONCLUSION Our study found a high prevalence of HBV, HBV/HDV and HBV/HIV co-infection, but a low prevalence of HCV. CAR remains an area of high HBV endemicity. This study's data and analyses would be useful for establishing an integrated viral hepatitis and HIV surveillance program in the CAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parvine Basimane-Bisimwa
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Bangui, Central African Republic
- Université Evangélique en Afrique (UEA), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
- International Center Advanced for Research and Training (ICART), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Hôpital Général de Référence de Panzi, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | | | - Edgarthe Ngaïganam
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Ulrich Vickos
- Laboratory of Arbovirus, Haemorrhagic Fevers, Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Emerging Virus and Zoonosis, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | | | | | - Benjamin Seydou Sombié
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Pulchérie Pélembi
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Service des Retrovirus-VIH, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Sandrine Moussa
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Service des Retrovirus-VIH, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Claudine Bekondi
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Centre de Ressources Biologiques, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Tamara Giles-Vernick
- Institut Pasteur-Université Paris Cité, Anthropology & Ecology of Disease Emergence Unit, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Manirakiza
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Epidemiology Service, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Muriel Vray
- Institut Pasteur-Université Paris Cité, Unit of Epidemiology of Emergent Infections, INSERM, Paris, France
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Ciccozzi M, Lai A, Zehender G, Borsetti A, Cella E, Ciotti M, Sagnelli E, Sagnelli C, Angeletti S. The phylogenetic approach for viral infectious disease evolution and epidemiology: An updating review. J Med Virol 2019; 91:1707-1724. [PMID: 31243773 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, the phylogenetic approach is recurrent in molecular evolutionary analysis. On 12 May, 2019, about 2 296 213 papers are found, but typing "phylogeny" or "epidemiology AND phylogeny" only 199 804 and 20 133 are retrieved, respectively. Molecular epidemiology in infectious diseases is widely used to define the source of infection as so as the ancestral relationships of individuals sampled from a population. Coalescent theory and phylogeographic analysis have had scientific application in several, recent pandemic events, and nosocomial outbreaks. Hepatitis viruses and immunodeficiency virus (human immunodeficiency virus) have been largely studied. Phylogenetic analysis has been recently applied on Polyomaviruses so as in the more recent outbreaks due to different arboviruses type as Zika and chikungunya viruses discovering the source of infection and the geographic spread. Data on sequences isolated by the microorganism are essential to apply the phylogenetic tools and research in the field of infectious disease phylodinamics is growing up. There is the need to apply molecular phylogenetic and evolutionary methods in areas out of infectious diseases, as translational genomics and personalized medicine. Lastly, the application of these tools in vaccine strategy so as in antibiotic and antiviral researchers are encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Ciccozzi
- Unit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Lai
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'L. Sacco', University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianguglielmo Zehender
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'L. Sacco', University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Borsetti
- National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cella
- Unit of Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Ciotti
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Polyclinic Tor Vergata Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Evangelista Sagnelli
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Caterina Sagnelli
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Silvia Angeletti
- Unit of Clinical Laboratory Science, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Mwangi J, Nganga Z, Mpoke S, Lihana R, Kinyua J, Lagat N, Muriuki J, Lel R, Kageha S, Osman S, Ichimura H. Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Kenya. Arch Virol 2015; 161:95-101. [PMID: 26497178 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-015-2623-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus is a great public-health concern worldwide. Phylogenetic analysis of the HCV genome has identified six different genotypes that have generally been divided into several subtypes. There is very little information on HCV seroprevalence and genotypes in Kenya. To determine the genotypes of HCV circulating in Kenya, blood donor samples were serologically tested and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Positive samples were cloned and sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis conducted to determine the HCV genotypes. One hundred Murex-seropositive samples were re-tested using a passive hemagglutination test, and 16 of these were identified as seropositive. Further testing of all of the samples by PCR identified only 10 of the 16 samples as positive. Thus, only 10 % (10/100) of the samples were viremic. Six were from females (60 %), and four were from males (40 %). The mean age of the positive donors was considerably low, at 25 +/- 9 years. Genotypic testing indicated the presence of genotype 1a (10 %) and genotype 2b (90 %). This study reports on HCV genotypes in a blood donor population in Kenya where little had been done to provide information on HCV genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Mwangi
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54628, Nairobi, Kenya. .,Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Zipporah Nganga
- Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Raphael Lihana
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54628, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Joyceline Kinyua
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54628, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Nancy Lagat
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54628, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Joseph Muriuki
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54628, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rency Lel
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54628, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sheila Kageha
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54628, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Saida Osman
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P.O. Box 54628, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Hiroshi Ichimura
- Department of Viral Infection and International Health, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
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4
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Characterization of hepatitis C virus genotypes by direct sequencing of HCV 5'UTR region of isolates from Saudi Arabia. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103160. [PMID: 25099694 PMCID: PMC4123900 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study was designed to determine the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genotypes in a representative sample of HCV chronically infected patients in Saudi Arabia. All HCV isolates were genotyped by sequencing of the 5′UTR region and newly identified HCV isolates were identified. Specific universal primers targeting 5′UTR region were used for both amplification and sequencing of all isolates that resulted in 244 bp fragment which represent about 80% of 5′UTR region. Most of HCV isolates in this study were genotype 4 (76.4%) where only few isolates were recognized as genotype 1 (19.6%). All results were compared to HCV reference sequences from LOS ALAMOS HCV database, considering only the complete full genomes for the main phylogenetic analysis. Sequences that showed maximum identity (98% –100%) were selected. Most isolates were identical with HCV genotype 4 references. Some isolates were similar to different subtypes of HCV genotypes 4, 1 and 6. Phylogenetic analysis showed resemblance of most isolates to similar ones from the Far East, North America and Egypt. Using sequence Weblogo, Alignment analysis of isolated HCV genotypes 4 and 1 showed 92% and 95.5% nucleotide conservation, respectively. There was no predominant nucleotide in the varied sites, in both genotypes. All isolated sequences were submitted to GenBank database.
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Smith DB, Bukh J, Kuiken C, Muerhoff AS, Rice CM, Stapleton JT, Simmonds P. Expanded classification of hepatitis C virus into 7 genotypes and 67 subtypes: updated criteria and genotype assignment web resource. Hepatology 2014; 59:318-27. [PMID: 24115039 PMCID: PMC4063340 DOI: 10.1002/hep.26744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 924] [Impact Index Per Article: 92.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The 2005 consensus proposal for the classification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) presented an agreed and uniform nomenclature for HCV variants and the criteria for their assignment into genotypes and subtypes. Since its publication, the available dataset of HCV sequences has vastly expanded through advancement in nucleotide sequencing technologies and an increasing focus on the role of HCV genetic variation in disease and treatment outcomes. The current study represents a major update to the previous consensus HCV classification, incorporating additional sequence information derived from over 1,300 (near-)complete genome sequences of HCV available on public databases in May 2013. Analysis resolved several nomenclature conflicts between genotype designations and using consensus criteria created a classification of HCV into seven confirmed genotypes and 67 subtypes. There are 21 additional complete coding region sequences of unassigned subtype. The study additionally describes the development of a Web resource hosted by the International Committee for Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) that maintains and regularly updates tables of reference isolates, accession numbers, and annotated alignments (http://talk.ictvonline.org/links/hcv/hcv-classification.htm). The Flaviviridae Study Group urges those who need to check or propose new genotypes or subtypes of HCV to contact the Study Group in advance of publication to avoid nomenclature conflicts appearing in the literature. While the criteria for assigning genotypes and subtypes remain unchanged from previous consensus proposals, changes are proposed in the assignment of provisional subtypes, subtype numbering beyond "w," and the nomenclature of intergenotypic recombinant. CONCLUSION This study represents an important reference point for the consensus classification of HCV variants that will be of value to researchers working in clinical and basic science fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald B Smith
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of EdinburghScotland, UK
| | - Jens Bukh
- Copenhagen Hepatitis C Program (CO-HEP), Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Research Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, and Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Carla Kuiken
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics group, Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos, NM, USA
| | | | - Charles M Rice
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller UniversityNew York, NY, USA
| | - Jack T Stapleton
- Medical Service, Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology, University of IowaIowa City, IA, USA
| | - Peter Simmonds
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of EdinburghScotland, UK
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6
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Abstract
The origin of hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be conceptualised at several levels. Firstly, origins might refer to its dramatic spread throughout the Western world and developing countries throughout the twentieth century. As a blood-borne virus, this epidemic was fuelled by new parenteral transmission routes associated with medical treatments, immunisation, blood transfusion and more recently injecting drug use. At another level, however, origins might refer to the immediate sources of HCV associated with its pandemic spread, now identified as areas in Central and West sub-Saharan Africa and South and South East Asia where genetically diverse variants of HCV appear to have circulated for hundreds of years. Going back a final step to the actual source of HCV infection in these endemic areas, non-human primates have been long suspected as harbouring viruses related to HCV with potential cross-species transmission of variants corresponding to the 7 main genotypes into humans. Although there is tempting analogy between this and the clearly zoonotic origin of HIV-1 from chimpanzees in Central Africa, no published evidence to date has been obtained for infection of HCV-like viruses in either apes or Old World monkey species. Indeed, a radical re-think of both the host range and host-specificity of hepaciviruses is now required following the very recent findings of a non-primate hepacivirus (NPHV) in horses and potentially in dogs. Further research on a much wider range of mammals is needed to better understand the true genetic diversity of HCV-like viruses and their host ranges in the search for the ultimate origin of HCV in humans.
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7
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Evidence for two phylogenetic clusters within hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 inferred from analysis of complete coding sequences of 15 HCV strains. J Med Virol 2013; 85:1754-64. [DOI: 10.1002/jmv.23674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Esmat G, El Raziky M, El Kassas M, Hassany M, Gamil ME. The future for the treatment of genotype 4 chronic hepatitis C. Liver Int 2012; 32 Suppl 1:146-50. [PMID: 22212586 DOI: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2011.02704.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus genotype 4 (HCV-4) is the most common type of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Middle East and Africa, in particular Egypt. Since the development of new protease inhibitors, the response of HCV-4 to the standard regimen of treatment (pegylated interferon/ribavirin) lags behind other genotypes and has become the most resistant type to treat. The development of therapeutic strategies for all patients with HCV-4 whether they are naïve, have experienced a virological breakthrough, are relapsers or non-responders is still a considerable challenge. New types of interferon (Consensus Interferon, Y-shaped, Albinterferon...) and new direct action antiviral drugs (Nitazoxanide, Vit.D, other) may improve the treatment of patients with HCV-4. The IL28B CC polymorphism may be associated with sustained virological response.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Esmat
- Endemic Medicine Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
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9
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Zeba MTA, Karou SD, Sagna T, Djigma F, Bisseye C, Ouermi D, Pietra V, Pignatelli S, Gnoula C, Sia JD, Moret R, Nikiema JB, Simpore J. HCV prevalence and co-infection with HIV among pregnant women in Saint Camille Medical Centre, Ouagadougou. Trop Med Int Health 2011; 16:1392-6. [PMID: 21762293 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2011.02845.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and the rate of HCV/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection in pregnant women attending Saint Camille medical centre (SCMC) in Ouagadougou. METHODS A total of 607 pregnant women, 16-45 years old, with <32 weeks amenorrhoea were screened for HCV and HIV using rapid tests. The majority of the women included in the study were previously known as HIV infected, as the centre is a reference centre for the programme of prevention against mother-to-child HIV transmission in the country. HCV RNA was extracted and quantified using the cDNA polymerase chain reaction with the nested primers at the 5' untranslated region. Transaminases were measured from plasma samples using spectrophotometric method. RESULTS Of women, 62.27% were infected with HIV. The prevalence of HCV was 2.14% in the screened pregnant women: 1.75% in HIV-negative women and 2.38% in HIV-positive ones. This prevalence is not significantly different between HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women (P = 0.81). HCV RNA was found in all women with anti-HCV. A significant transaminase increase was noted in women infected with HCV (P = 0.01 and P < 0.01 for glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, respectively). Risk factors significantly associated with HCV positivity in pregnant women included transfusion and genital excision. In addition, the infection was linked with the educational level of the women. CONCLUSION The issue of this study revealed that effort should be made to promote safe medical practices and fight against women genital excision that are found to be the main risk factors associated with the HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moctar T A Zeba
- Centre de Recherche Biomoléculaire, Pietro Annigoni, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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10
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Abstract
Hepatitis C (HCV) is the disease that has affected around 200 million people globally. HCV is a life threatening human pathogen, not only because of its high prevalence and worldwide burden but also because of the potentially serious complications of persistent HCV infection. Chronicity of the disease leads to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and end-stage liver disease. HCV positive hepatocytes vary between less than 5% and up to 100%, indicating the high rate of replication of viral RNA. HCV has a very high mutational rate that enables it to escape the immune system. Viral diversity has two levels; the genotypes and Quasiaspecies. Major HCV genotypes constitute genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 while more than 50 subtypes are known. All HCV genotypes have their particular patterns of geographical distribution and a slight drift in viral population has been observed in some parts of the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazish Bostan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad-45320, Pakistan
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Cantaloube JF, Gallian P, Bokilo A, Jordier F, Biagini P, Attoui H, Chiaroni J, de Micco P. Analysis of hepatitis C virus strains circulating in Republic of the Congo. J Med Virol 2010; 82:562-7. [DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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12
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Abstract
International standardization and coordination of the nomenclature of variants of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is increasingly needed as more is discovered about the scale of HCV-related liver disease and important biological and antigenic differences that exist between variants. Consistency in numbering is also increasingly required for functional and clinical studies of HCV. For example, an unambiguous method for referring to amino acid substitutions at specific positions in NS3 and NS5B coding sequences associated with resistance to specific HCV inhibitors is essential in the investigation of antiviral treatment. Inconsistent and inaccurate numbering of locations in DNA and protein sequences is becoming a problem in the HCV scientific literature.A group of experts in the field of HCV genetic variability, and those involved in development of HCV sequence databases, the Hepatitis Virus Database (Japan), euHCVdb (France), and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (United States), convened to reexamine the status of HCV genotype nomenclature, resolve conflicting genotype or subtype names among described variants of HCV, and draw up revised criteria for the assignment of new genotypes as they are discovered in the future. They also discussed how HCV sequence databases could introduce and facilitate a standardized numbering system for HCV nucleotides, proteins, and epitopes.A comprehensive listing of all currently classified variants of HCV incorporates a number of agreed genotype and subtype name reassignments to create consistency in nomenclature. A consensus proposal was drawn up for the classification of new variants into genotypes and subtypes, which recognizes and incorporates new knowledge of HCV genetic diversity and epidemiology. The proposed numbering system was adapted from the Los Alamos HIV database, with elements from the hepatitis B virus numbering system. The system comprises both nucleotides and amino acid sequences and epitopes, and uses the full-length genome sequence of isolate H77 (accession number AF009606) as a reference. It includes a method for numbering insertions and deletions relative to this reference sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Kuiken
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
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13
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Njouom R, Frost E, Deslandes S, Mamadou-Yaya F, Labbé AC, Pouillot R, Mbélesso P, Mbadingai S, Rousset D, Pépin J. Predominance of hepatitis C virus genotype 4 infection and rapid transmission between 1935 and 1965 in the Central African Republic. J Gen Virol 2009; 90:2452-2456. [PMID: 19535500 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.011981-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Central African Republic (CAR) is poorly documented. Thus, we conducted phylogenetic analyses of NS5B gene sequences from 58 HCV-infected inhabitants of a remote area of south-west CAR, which indicated that 48 (82.8%) were infected with genotype 4 (HCV-4), five (8.6%) with genotype 2 and five (8.6%) with genotype 1. HCV-4 strains were highly heterogeneous, containing previously described subtypes 4k (48%), 4c (27%), 4r (4%), 4f (4%) and unclassified subtypes (17%). To estimate the epidemic history of these HCV-4 strains, an evolutionary analysis using the coalescent approach was used. The estimated date of the most recent common ancestor of the CAR HCV-4 strains was 1539 (95% confidence intervals, 1317-1697). They exhibited a rapid, exponential spread from 1935 to 1965, simultaneously with what was recently reported in neighbouring Cameroon and Gabon. The hypothesis of a massive iatrogenic transmission during interventions for the control of endemic tropical diseases is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Njouom
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Eric Frost
- Département de Microbiologie et Infectiologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Sylvie Deslandes
- Département de Microbiologie et Infectiologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada
| | | | - Annie-Claude Labbé
- Department of Microbiology, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montréal, Canada
| | - Régis Pouillot
- Laboratoire d'Épidémiologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | | | - Dominique Rousset
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Jacques Pépin
- Département de Microbiologie et Infectiologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada
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14
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Jia L, Yu J, Yang J, Song H, Liu X, Wang Y, Xu Y, Zhang C, Zhong Y, Li Q. HCV antibody response and genotype distribution in different areas and races of China. Int J Biol Sci 2009; 5:421-7. [PMID: 19564925 PMCID: PMC2702825 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.5.421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2009] [Accepted: 06/04/2009] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) heterogeneity accounts for the failure of effective vaccine development and the lack of successful anti-viral therapy in some patients. Little is known about the immune response to HCV peptides and the region or race specific genotypes in China. The objective of this study was to characterize HCV antibody immune response to HCV peptides and HCV genotypes in different regions and races of China. A total of 363 serum samples were collected from HCV carriers in 6 regions in China. The immune response to HCV peptides was evaluated by ELISA. HCV genotypes were examined using nested RT-PCR. We found that the anti-HCV antibody neutralization rates were significantly different among the serum samples from different areas or from different races in the same area. For samples from Tibet and Sinkiang, the rates of neutralization by HCV peptides were only 3.2% and 30.8%, respectively. The genotypes of samples from Tibet and Sinkiang were apparently heterogeneic and included type I, II, III and multiple types (I/II/III, I/II, I/III, II/III). One specific sample with multiple-genotype (I/II/III) HCV infection was found to consist of type I, II, III, II/III and an unclassified genotype. These studies indicate that the anti-HCV antibody immune response to HCV peptides varied across regions and among races. The distribution of HCV genotypes among Tibetans in Tibet and Uighurs in Sinkiang was different from that in the inner areas of China. In addition, a "master" genotype, type II, was found to exist in HCV infection with multiple HCV genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leili Jia
- The Institute for Disease Prevention and Control of PLA, Beijing, China
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15
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Hepatitis C intervention research – Where are we now and where should we be heading? Arab J Gastroenterol 2009; 10:4-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajg.2009.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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16
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El Sharkawi FZ, Chudy M, Hanschmann KM, Kress J, Nübling CM. Consistency of quantitation of HCV genotype 4 from egypt across three HCV-RNA amplification assays. J Med Virol 2008; 80:2086-91. [PMID: 19040283 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Different quantitative assays for HCV-RNA are available that report test results in International Units (IU)/ml based on the WHO International Standard. Thus, assays have been calibrated with standard material containing HCV genotype 1, so the consistency of quantitation might differ between assays for other HCV genotypes. Three commercial HCV nucleic acid amplification techniques (HCV-NAT) were compared for quantitation consistency of genotype 4 and 1 specimens from an Egyptian blood donor panel (n = 92). Consistency of quantitation between HCV-NATs was higher for genotype 1 than for genotype 4. Most quantitative results reported by the assays were in the same range, but some genotype 4 samples were missed by two of the assays. The Abbott assay showed higher concentrations for genotype 4 than the two Roche assays. Follow-up investigations of individuals should use the same assay unless another assay has been validated properly. Standardization of HCV-NAT assays remains an issue.
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Abstract
The following article from Reviews in Medical Virology, Genetic diversity in hepatitis C virus (HCV) a brief review, by M Irshad, published online on December 16 2008 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) has been retracted by agreement between the author, the journal Editor in Chief, P.D. Griffiths, and the publisher Wiley Blackwell. The retraction has been agreed due to overlap with the following article by P Simmonds, Genetic diversity and evolution of hepatitis C virus fifteen years on, published in Journal of General Virology, 2004, 85, 3173-3178.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Irshad
- Clinical Biochemistry Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India
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Abstract
Hepatitis virus infections are the most common cause of liver disease worldwide. Sudan is classified among the countries with high hepatitis B virus seroprevalence. Exposure to the virus varied from 47%–78%, with a hepatitis B surface antigen prevalence ranging from 6.8% in central Sudan to 26% in southern Sudan. Studies pointed to infection in early childhood in southern Sudan while there was a trend of increasing infection rate with increasing age in northern Sudan. Hepatitis B virus was the commonest cause of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma and was the second commonest cause of acute liver failure in the Sudan. Studies of hepatitis C virus showed a low seroprevalence of 2.2%–4.8% and there was no association with schistosomiasis or with parenteral antischistosomal therapy. Hepatitis E virus was the commonest cause of acute hepatitis among pediatric, adult, and displaced populations. Recent introduction of screening of blood and blood products for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections and the introduction of hepatitis B virus vaccine as part of the extended program of immunization is expected to reduce the infection rate of these viruses in the Sudan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatim My Mudawi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
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19
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Alashek W, Altagdi M. Risk factors and genotypes of hepatitis C virus infection in libyan patients. Libyan J Med 2008; 3:162-5. [PMID: 21499468 PMCID: PMC3074306 DOI: 10.4176/080425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence and incidence of HCV infection varies geographically due to exposure to different risk factors. Identification of HCV genotype is important to defining the epidemiology of the disease. The objective of this study was to describe genotype distribution and its relation to risk factors among HCV infected patients attending virology clinic of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Tripoli Medical Centre. METHODS The medical records of 891 Libyan chronic HCV infected patients registered and followed up from January 2003 to January 2007 were reviewed. Data gathered includes patient's age, gender, risk factors and family history of HCV infection. Statistical analysis was performed using t, x2 and contingency coefficient tests. RESULTS The mean age was 40.22±13.09 years. Two thirds of patients were males. Normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) at diagnosis was found in 62% of the patients. HCV RNA<2 million copies at diagnosis was found among 54% of patients. HCV genotype 1 (G1) was the most frequent (30.9%), followed by G4 (29.2%). Genotype 2 affected 19.3% and G3 13.6%. No classification of HCV genotype was available for 2% of the patients. Many subtypes of HCV were detected with different frequencies (G1a and b, G2a, b, c and a/c, G3a and G4a and c/d). All genotypes of HCV were more common among males (P<0.001). Genotype 3 was the most frequent among male patients (88.6%). Regarding the risk factors, 33% of patients had a history of hospitalization and/or surgical procedures, and 22.7% had a history of blood transfusion. A past history of intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) was reported by 15% of the patients, and 15.9% reported a history of dental procedures. The relationship between the genotype of HCV and risk factors was statistically significant (P<0.001). No history of risky exposure was found among 10.8% of patients. CONCLUSION Genotypes 1 and 4 were more predominant among HCV infected patients. Males were affected more than females and they presented themselves to the clinic at a younger age. The results of this study strongly suggest the need for implementing strict infection control measures in hospitals and dental clinics to reduce the nosocomial transmission of HCV, as well as measures to control the problem of intravenous drug users in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wa Alashek
- Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alfateh Medical University, Tripoli, Libya
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Cantaloube JF, Gallian P, Laperche S, Elghouzzi MH, Piquet Y, Bouchardeau F, Jordier F, Biagini P, Attoui H, de Micco P. Molecular characterization of genotype 2 and 4 hepatitis C virus isolates in French blood donors. J Med Virol 2008; 80:1732-9. [PMID: 18712846 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The subtype distribution of 142 genotype 2 and 97 genotype 4 hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolates from the sera of 1,319 volunteer blood donors in France was determined by gene sequencing and by phylogenetic analysis of the NS5B region and E1 envelope. Findings underlined a wide range of subtypes in both genotypes, that is, 20 in HCV-2 and 11 in HCV-4. Eighteen of these 31 subtypes had not been defined previously. Some subtypes, that is, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2i, 2k, 4a, and 4d, showed numerous strains while subtypes in donors from West Africa or Central Africa showed an endemic profile with only a few strains. A Bayesian coalescence approach was used to estimate the demographic history of each HCV subtype. The estimated mean dates of the most recent common ancestors (MRCA) were 1,889 (confidence interval (CI), 1,842-1,930) for HCV-2a, 1,886 (CI, 1,843-1,921) for HCV-2b, 1,791 (CI, 1,699-1,848) for HCV-2c, 1,846 (CI, 1,803-1,878) for HCV-2i, 1,911 (CI, 1,879-1,937) for HCV-4a, and 1,957 (CI, 1,943-1,967) for HCV-4d. The period of spread for subtype 2b, 2c, and 2i was between 1900 and 1960 whereas rapid exponential spread for subtype 2a, 4a, and 4d occurred in the 1960s. The inferred histories of population growth indicated that transmission rates differed according to HCV subtype. These results may help to predict the future burden of HCV in France.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Cantaloube
- Unité Emergence et coévolution virale, UMR 6578, CNRS-Etablissement Français du Sang Alpes-Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
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21
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Ndong-Atome GR, Makuwa M, Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer O, Pybus OG, Branger M, Le Hello S, Boye-Cheik SB, Brun-Vezinet F, Kazanji M, Roques P, Bisser S. High prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and predominance of genotype 4 in rural Gabon. J Med Virol 2008; 80:1581-7. [PMID: 18649323 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C (HCV) molecular epidemiology is documented poorly in central African countries. In response to this, a population-based study of 319 consenting adults resident in a remote village of Gabon was undertaken (mean age: 38 years; age range: 13-85+; sex ratio: 0.74). Screening for anti-HCV antibodies was performed using ELISA and recombinant immunoblot assay. Seropositive samples were assessed further with viral load and genotyping techniques. Sixty-six (20.7%) individuals were HCV seropositive. Viral loads ranged from 600 to 24.9 million IU/ml (median: 372,500). Seroprevalence and viral loads increased significantly with age (P < 10(-5) and P < 0.003, respectively). HCV sequences of the 5'UTR genome region were obtained from 60 (90.9%) samples and NS5B region sequences were obtained from 22 (36.6%) samples. All strains belonged to subtypes of genotype 4: 4e (72.7%), 4c (13.6%), 4p (4.5%), 4r (4.5%) and one unclassified genotype 4 strain. Evolutionary analysis of the subtype 4e sequences indicates a period of raised transmission during the early twentieth century.
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Affiliation(s)
- G R Ndong-Atome
- Département de Virologie, Centre International de Recherches Médicales, Franceville (CIRMF), Gabon
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22
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Ndong-Atome GR, Makuwa M, Njouom R, Branger M, Brun-Vézinet F, Mahé A, Rousset D, Kazanji M. Hepatitis C virus prevalence and genetic diversity among pregnant women in Gabon, central Africa. BMC Infect Dis 2008; 8:82. [PMID: 18559087 PMCID: PMC2442078 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-8-82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2008] [Accepted: 06/17/2008] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major global public health problem in both developed and developing countries. The prevalence and genetic diversity of HCV in pregnant women in Gabon, central Africa, is not known. We therefore evaluated the prevalence and the circulating genotypes of HCV in a large population cohort of pregnant women. Methods Blood samples (947) were collected from pregnant women in the five main cities of the country. The prevalence was evaluated by two ELISA tests, and the circulating genotypes were characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results Twenty pregnant women (2.1%) were infected with HCV. The seroprevalence differed significantly by region (p = 0.004) and increased significantly with age (p = 0.05), being 1.3% at 14–20 years, 1.1% at 21–25 years, 1.9% at 26–30 years, 4.1% at 31–35 years and 6.0% at > 35 years. Sequencing in the 5'-UTR and NS5B regions showed that the circulating strains belonged to genotypes 4 (4e and 4c). Conclusion We found that the HCV seroprevalence in pregnant women in Gabon is almost as high as that in other African countries and increases with age. Furthermore, only genotype 4 (4e and 4c) was found. More extensive studies aiming to evaluate the prevalence and heterogeneity of HCV genotypes circulating in the general population of the country are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy-Roger Ndong-Atome
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre International de Recherches Médicales (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon.
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23
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Alashek W, Altagdi M. Risk Factors and Genotypes of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Libyan Patients. Libyan J Med 2008. [DOI: 10.3402/ljm.v3i4.4786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- W.A. Alashek
- Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alfateh Medical University, Tripoli, Libya and
| | - M. Altagdi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tripoli Medical Centre, Tripoli, Libya
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Hmaied F, Legrand-Abravanel F, Nicot F, Garrigues N, Chapuy-Regaud S, Dubois M, Njouom R, Izopet J, Pasquier C. Full-length genome sequences of hepatitis C virus subtype 4f. J Gen Virol 2007; 88:2985-2990. [PMID: 17947520 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.83151-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus genotype 4 (HCV-4) is very common in central Africa, prevalent in the Middle East, and is becoming increasingly frequent among southern Europeans. We have determined the complete nucleotide sequences of HCV-4f strains and investigated their phylogenetic relationships with other genotypes. We amplified the complete genome of two HCV subtype 4f strains, IFBT84 and IFBT88. The HCV-4f strains have a total of 9181 and 9304 nt, respectively, including the 5' untranslated region followed by a single open reading frame. There was no evidence of genomic recombination in the IFBT84 and IFBT88 strains. The sequences of the HCV-4f strain genomes are closer to those of HCV-1b than to genotypes 2, 3, 5 and 6. It is important to know the full-length sequences of HCV-4 subtypes in order to classify them correctly and to obtain more detailed knowledge about HCV epidemiology and sensitivity to interferon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Hmaied
- Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31400 Toulouse, France
- Service de Virologie, CHU de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Florence Legrand-Abravanel
- Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31400 Toulouse, France
- INSERM, U563, Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, F-31300 Toulouse, France
- Service de Virologie, CHU de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Florence Nicot
- Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31400 Toulouse, France
- INSERM, U563, Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, F-31300 Toulouse, France
- Service de Virologie, CHU de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Natalie Garrigues
- Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Sabine Chapuy-Regaud
- Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31400 Toulouse, France
- INSERM, U563, Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, F-31300 Toulouse, France
- Service de Virologie, CHU de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Martine Dubois
- INSERM, U563, Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, F-31300 Toulouse, France
- Service de Virologie, CHU de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Richard Njouom
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Cameroon
- Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31400 Toulouse, France
- Service de Virologie, CHU de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Jacques Izopet
- Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31400 Toulouse, France
- INSERM, U563, Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, F-31300 Toulouse, France
- Service de Virologie, CHU de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Christophe Pasquier
- Facultés de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Toulouse III Paul-Sabatier, F-31400 Toulouse, France
- INSERM, U563, Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan, F-31300 Toulouse, France
- Service de Virologie, CHU de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, F-31059 Toulouse, France
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Le Guillou-Guillemette H, Vallet S, Gaudy-Graffin C, Payan C, Pivert A, Goudeau A, Lunel-Fabiani F. Genetic diversity of the hepatitis C virus: Impact and issues in the antiviral therapy. World J Gastroenterol 2007; 13:2416-26. [PMID: 17552024 PMCID: PMC4146759 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i17.2416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C Virus (HCV) presents a high degree of genetic variability which is explained by the combination of a lack of proof reading by the RNA dependant RNA polymerase and a high level of viral replication. The resulting genetic polymorphism defines a classification in clades, genotypes, subtypes, isolates and quasispecies. This diversity is known to reflect the range of responses to Interferon therapy. The genotype is one of the predictive parameters currently used to define the antiviral treatment strategy and the chance of therapeutic success. Studies have also reported the potential impact of the viral genetic polymorphism in the outcome of antiviral therapy in patients infected by the same HCV genotype. Both structural and non structural genomic regions of HCV have been suggested to be involved in the Interferon pathway and the resistance to antiviral therapy. In this review, we first detail the viral basis of HCV diversity. Then, the HCV genetic regions that may be implicated in resistance to therapy are described, with a focus on the structural region encoded by the E2 gene and the non-structural genes NS3, NS5A and NS5B. Both mechanisms of the Interferon resistance and of the new antiviral drugs are described in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Le Guillou-Guillemette
- Laboratory of Virology, Department of Infectious Agents, University Hospital of Angers, 4 rue Larrey, 49933 Angers Cedex 9, France
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Plamondon M, Labbé AC, Frost E, Deslandes S, Alves AC, Bastien N, Pepin J. Hepatitis C virus infection in Guinea-Bissau: a sexually transmitted genotype 2 with parenteral amplification? PLoS One 2007; 2:e372. [PMID: 17440608 PMCID: PMC1847532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2007] [Accepted: 03/22/2007] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sub-Saharan Africa is the continent with the highest prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Genotype 2 HCV is thought to have originated from West Africa several hundred years ago. Mechanisms of transmission remain poorly understood. Methodology/Principal Findings To delineate mechanisms for HCV transmission in West Africa, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of individuals aged ≥50 years in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. Dried blood spots were obtained for HCV serology and PCR amplification. Prevalence of HCV was 4.4% (47/1066) among women and 5.0% (27/544) among men. In multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for HCV infection were age (baseline: 50–59 y; 60–69 y, adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.67, 95% CI: 0.91–3.06; ≥70 y, AOR: 3.47, 95% CI: 1.89–6.39), belonging to the Papel, Mancanha, Balanta or Mandjako ethnic groups (AOR: 2.45, 95% CI:1.32–4.53), originating from the Biombo, Cacheu or Oio regions north of Bissau (AOR: 4.16, 95% CI: 1.18–14.73) and having bought or sold sexual services (AOR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.88–6.89). Of 57 isolates that could be genotyped, 56 were genotype 2. Conclusions Our results suggest that transmission of HCV genotype 2 in West Africa occurs through sexual intercourse. In specific locations and subpopulations, medical interventions may have amplified transmission parenterally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireille Plamondon
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Centre for International Health, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Eric Frost
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Centre for International Health, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Sylvie Deslandes
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Centre for International Health, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Jacques Pepin
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Centre for International Health, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Mudawi HMY, Smith HM, Fletcher IA, Fedail SS. Prevalence and common genotypes of HCV infection in Sudanese patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis. J Med Virol 2007; 79:1322-4. [PMID: 17607776 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.20865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
A cross-sectional hospital based study was carried out at the National Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease in Khartoum, Sudan to determine the prevalence, common genotypes and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection in Sudanese patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis. A total of 176 patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis were tested for HCV antibodies and 4.5% of the samples were reactive. PCR was positive in 2.3% of cases and genotype 4 was the major genotype isolated with subtypes 4, 4e, and 4c/4d. It is concluded that HCV was of low seroprevalence in the study population and that parenteral antischistosomal therapy was not a significant risk factor in transmission of infection in the Sudan.
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Affiliation(s)
- H M Y Mudawi
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
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Delwaide J, Reenaers C, Gerard C, Vaira D, Bastens B, Servais B, Bekhti A, Bataille C, Wain E, De Leeuw P, Daenen G, Mesureur T, Sente JM, Belaïche J. HCV genotype 4 in Belgium: three distinct patterns among patients from European and African origin. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2006; 18:707-12. [PMID: 16772826 DOI: 10.1097/01.meg.0000219103.40435.8d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Considered uncommon in western countries some years ago, hepatitis C virus of genotype 4 is now spreading in some areas of Europe. This is assumed to be due to immigration from a region of high prevalence for this genotype and to propagation among drug users. In the south of Belgium, genotype 4 currently accounts for 10% of hepatitis C virus patients and its prevalence is increasing with time. OBJECTIVE To better define the genotype 4 carriers' characteristics. METHODS In a database comprising 1726 viraemic hepatitis C virus patients, the files of 85 genotype 4 carriers were reviewed. RESULTS Beside the African (58%) and European drug user (15%) subgroups classically described, a third subgroup consisting of European nondrug users (26%) was identified as peculiar: these patients were older, had been mostly contaminated sporadically, presented a great diversity of subtypes, and were mainly of Italian origin. In this subgroup, contamination was supposed to be ancient, having occurred probably in Italy before immigration into Belgium. By contrast, European drug users were infected with only two subtypes (4c/4d and 4), an observation in favour of recent spread. Africans had a great diversity of subtypes, were young, and were mostly contaminated sporadically in their home countries. Despite their epidemiological differences, the clinical management, and in particular the rates of eligibility for treatment, were similar for these three groups. CONCLUSIONS Three different patterns of genotype 4 carriers were observed, corresponding to three different spreading profiles. They did not induce, however, different clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Delwaide
- Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, CHU Sart Tilman, Université de Liège, Hospital Saint Joseph, Liège, Belgium.
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Simmonds P, Bukh J, Combet C, Deléage G, Enomoto N, Feinstone S, Halfon P, Inchauspé G, Kuiken C, Maertens G, Mizokami M, Murphy DG, Okamoto H, Pawlotsky JM, Penin F, Sablon E, Shin-I T, Stuyver LJ, Thiel HJ, Viazov S, Weiner AJ, Widell A. Consensus proposals for a unified system of nomenclature of hepatitis C virus genotypes. Hepatology 2005; 42:962-73. [PMID: 16149085 DOI: 10.1002/hep.20819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1058] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
International standardization and coordination of the nomenclature of variants of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is increasingly needed as more is discovered about the scale of HCV-related liver disease and important biological and antigenic differences that exist between variants. A group of scientists expert in the field of HCV genetic variability, and those involved in development of HCV sequence databases, the Hepatitis Virus Database (Japan), euHCVdb (France), and Los Alamos (United States), met to re-examine the status of HCV genotype nomenclature, resolve conflicting genotype or subtype names among described variants of HCV, and draw up revised criteria for the assignment of new genotypes as they are discovered in the future. A comprehensive listing of all currently classified variants of HCV incorporates a number of agreed genotype and subtype name re-assignments to create consistency in nomenclature. The paper also contains consensus proposals for the classification of new variants into genotypes and subtypes, which recognizes and incorporates new knowledge of HCV genetic diversity and epidemiology. A proposal was made that HCV variants be classified into 6 genotypes (representing the 6 genetic groups defined by phylogenetic analysis). Subtype name assignment will be either confirmed or provisional, depending on the availability of complete or partial nucleotide sequence data, or remain unassigned where fewer than 3 examples of a new subtype have been described. In conclusion, these proposals provide the framework by which the HCV databases store and provide access to data on HCV, which will internationally coordinate the assignment of new genotypes and subtypes in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Simmonds
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, University of Edinburgh, Summerhall, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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Cantaloube JF, Gallian P, Attoui H, Biagini P, De Micco P, de Lamballerie X. Genotype distribution and molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus in blood donors from southeast France. J Clin Microbiol 2005; 43:3624-9. [PMID: 16081888 PMCID: PMC1233931 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.43.8.3624-3629.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2005] [Revised: 04/11/2005] [Accepted: 04/26/2005] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in blood donors from southeast France was tracked for a period of 13 years (1991 to 2003). Virus genomes from 321 samples were analyzed by amplification and sequencing of the NS5b and E1 regions. The most frequent genotypes were 1b (30.2%), 1a (27.7%), and 3a (22.4%). Although it was less common, genotype 2 was characterized by the presence of strains belonging to 11 different subtypes, including 5 that had never been characterized. Genotypes 1a, 1b, 3a, and 4a presented typical "epidemic" profiles, with a large number of isolates per subtype and short mean genetic distances between isolates. Type 2 isolates displayed a typical "endemic" profile, with a large number of subtypes and very few isolates in each subtype. The epidemiology of HCV infection in southeast France changed radically during the study period in relation to modifications in the etiology of infection. We observed the emergence of new epidemic subtypes (subtypes 1a and 3) linked to intravenous drug use and a decrease in the types linked to blood transfusion and nosocomial infection (epidemic subtype 1b and endemic type 2). Comparison of strains from blood donors with strains from a cohort of inpatients in the same region during 2001 and 2002 demonstrated for the first time that the monitoring of blood donors is a generally valid indicator of HCV epidemiology in terms of genotype distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Cantaloube
- Unité des Virus Emergents, Etablissement de Transfusion Sanguine Alpes-Méditerranée, 149 bd. Baille, 13005 Marseille, France.
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Abstract
In the 15 years since the discovery of hepatitis C virus (HCV), much has been learned about its role as a major causative agent of human liver disease and its ability to persist in the face of host-cell defences and the immune system. This review describes what is known about the diversity of HCV, the current classification of HCV genotypes within the family Flaviviridae and how this genetic diversity contributes to its pathogenesis. On one hand, diversification of HCV has been constrained by its intimate adaptation to its host. Despite the >30 % nucleotide sequence divergence between genotypes, HCV variants nevertheless remain remarkably similar in their transmission dynamics, persistence and disease development. Nowhere is this more evident than in the evolutionary conservation of numerous evasion methods to counteract the cell's innate antiviral defence pathways; this series of highly complex virus-host interactions may represent key components in establishing its 'ecological niche' in the human liver. On the other hand, the mutability and large population size of HCV enables it to respond very rapidly to new selection pressures, manifested by immune-driven changes in T- and B-cell epitopes that are encountered on transmission between individuals with different antigen-recognition repertoires. If human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is a precedent, future therapies that target virus protease or polymerase enzymes may also select very rapidly for antiviral-resistant mutants. These contrasting aspects of conservatism and adaptability provide a fascinating paradigm in which to explore the complex selection pressures that underlie the evolution of HCV and other persistent viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Simmonds
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, University of Edinburgh, Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1QH, UK
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32
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 is predominantly found in the Middle East and North Africa. Because most of the large randomized controlled trials of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C were conducted in North America and Europe, little is known about management of patients with this particular genotype. Based on the available data, sustained virological response rates to interferon-based therapies appear to be intermediate between the relatively resistant HCV genotype 1 and the readily responsive genotypes 2 and 3. Several large prospective studies of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin combination therapy, the current gold-standard treatment, have recently been completed and will be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayman A Abdo
- Liver Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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33
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Martial J, Morice Y, Abel S, Cabié A, Rat C, Lombard F, Edouard A, Pierre-Louis S, Garsaud P, Béra O, Chout R, Gordien E, Deny P, Césaire R. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in the Caribbean island of Martinique: evidence for a large radiation of HCV-2 and for a recent introduction from Europe of HCV-4. J Clin Microbiol 2004; 42:784-91. [PMID: 14766854 PMCID: PMC344442 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.42.2.784-791.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular epidemiological studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Caribbean may help to specify the origin and spread of HCV infection. Indeed, the Caribbean population is intermixed from European and African origins and geographically close to the American continent. We characterized HCV genotypes in the Caribbean island of Martinique. HCV genotypes were analyzed by sequencing or reverse hybridization in the 5' noncoding region (5'NC) in 250 HCV-monoinfected and 85 HCV-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coinfected patients. In addition, sequencing in the nonstructural 5B (NS5B) gene was required to determine the subtype or to perform phylogenetic analysis in selected samples. Genotypes 1 to 6 were found, respectively, in 84.4, 6.8, 5.2, 2.8, 0.4, and 0.4% of 250 HCV-monoinfected patients and in 71.7, 7.1, 15.3, 5.9, 0, and 0% of 85 HCV-HIV-coinfected patients. HCV-1b was found in 66.4% of the HCV-monoinfected patients and was associated with blood transfusion, whereas HCV-1a was detected in 41.2% of the HCV-HIV-coinfected patients and was associated with intravenous drug use (IVDU). The HCV-3 strains belonged to subtype 3a and were linked to IVDU. Phylogenetic analyses were focused on HCV-2 and HCV-4, which are common in Africa. Two opposite patterns were evidenced. NS5B sequences from 19 HCV-2 isolates were affiliated with many different subtypes described either in Europe or in West Africa, suggesting an ancient radiation. In contrast, seven of the nine HCV-4 NS5B sequences ranged within HCV-4a and HCV-4d clusters spreading in continental France by the IVDU route. Epidemiological data demonstrate the recent introduction of HCV-4a and -4d subtypes into the Caribbean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Martial
- Laboratoire de Virologie-Immunologie. Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France
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34
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Gisselquist D. Emergence of the HIV type 1 epidemic in the twentieth century: comparing hypotheses to evidence. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2003; 19:1071-8. [PMID: 14709242 DOI: 10.1089/088922203771881158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of multiple groups of HIV-1 and HIV-2 suggests that zoonotic transmissions of SIV have occurred at a low rate for centuries. Hence, an increase in the rate of human-to-human transmission may be necessary and sufficient to explain the emergence of HIV as an epidemic in the twentieth century. Three common hypotheses to explain accelerated transmission are (1) social changes accelerated sexual transmission, (2) health care changes accelerated parenteral transmission, and (3) serial passaging adapted HIV for persistent infection and sexual transmission. These hypotheses can be compared to a range of evidence. Temporal and geographic discontinuities in HIV epidemic growth are not easily explained by supposed increases in sexual transmission over time. Large historic changes in sexual transmission are hard to explain based on weak evidence associating HIV prevalence in African communities with differences in sexual behavior. On the other hand, documented iatrogenic outbreaks show high rates of parenteral transmission. The distribution of hepatitis C virus infections and the history of multiinjection treatment for trypanosomiasis in Central Africa suggest widespread parenteral transmission of blood-borne viruses during 1920-1940, coinciding in time and place with the early HIV epidemic. This suggests an important role for parenteral transmission in the early spread of HIV. Further research could improve our understanding of the early HIV epidemic.
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35
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Njouom R, Pasquier C, Ayouba A, Gessain A, Froment A, Mfoupouendoun J, Pouillot R, Dubois M, Sandres-Sauné K, Thonnon J, Izopet J, Nerrienet E. High rate of hepatitis C virus infection and predominance of genotype 4 among elderly inhabitants of a remote village of the rain forest of South Cameroon. J Med Virol 2003; 71:219-25. [PMID: 12938196 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.10473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and genotype distribution in a rural isolated area of Central Africa, plasma of 409 Bantous (mean age, 32 years; range, 2-78 years) living in a remote village of the rain forest of Southern Cameroon was screened for anti-HCV antibodies. HCV seropositive samples were also subjected to qualitative detection of viral RNA. HCV antibodies were detected in 70 (17.1%) individuals, 48 (68.8%) of whom had detectable viremia. The seroprevalence did not differ by gender (P = 0.37), but increased significantly with age (P < 0.05), with a strong increase in the oldest age groups. Indeed, nearly one-half (48%) of the adults >50 years old were HCV seropositive. The characterization of the viral genotypes indicated that most of the HCV strains were of genotype 4 (76%), while genotype 2 (16%), and 1 (8%) were marginally represented. The results suggest a cohort effect with an old, possibly iatrogenic, group exposure rather than a continuous exposure. A more in-depth population-based epidemiological study is needed to address this issue further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Njouom
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroun, France
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36
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Ndjomou J, Pybus OG, Matz B. Phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis C virus isolates indicates a unique pattern of endemic infection in Cameroon. J Gen Virol 2003; 84:2333-2341. [PMID: 12917453 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.19240-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne pathogen that poses a significant threat to public health worldwide. The genetic diversity and distribution of HCV genotypes in non-Western countries, particularly subSaharan Africa, is poorly documented. This study reports a phylogenetic analysis of core and NS5B gene sequences of 37 HCV strains sampled in Cameroon. A high level of genetic diversity of both genotypes 1 and 4 was found, indicating a unique pattern of long-term HCV infection that has not been observed elsewhere. These results lead to the hypothesis that these HCV genotypes originated and diversified in west Central Africa before spreading to other regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Ndjomou
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Strasse 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Oliver G Pybus
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Bertfried Matz
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Strasse 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
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37
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Madhava V, Burgess C, Drucker E. Epidemiology of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in sub-Saharan Africa. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2002; 2:293-302. [PMID: 12062995 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(02)00264-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 233] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease in the world. The WHO estimates that 3% (170 million) of the world's population are chronically infected with HCV. Sub-Saharan Africa is of great interest because it is reported to have the highest HCV prevalence rate (5.3%), and a concurrent HIV epidemic. In our review of the published literature we found consistent evidence of high HCV prevalence in many countries of Africa. We estimate the overall prevalence of HCV in Sub-Saharan Africa is 3.0%. The central African region has the highest estimated prevalence of 6%, west Africa has an estimated prevalence of 2.4%, and southern and east Africa with the lowest estimated prevalence of 1.6%. Given low sexual transmission of HCV and infrequency of intravenous drug use in Sub-Saharan Africa, iatrogenic causes of HCV transmission need to be further evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valsa Madhava
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York 10467, USA.
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38
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Ndjomou J, Kupfer B, Kochan B, Zekeng L, Kaptue L, Matz B. Hepatitis C virus infection and genotypes among human immunodeficiency virus high-risk groups in Cameroon. J Med Virol 2002; 66:179-86. [PMID: 11782926 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.2128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Parenteral transmission of HCV is well established but other possible routes such as heterosexual transmission are still questioned. The Central African region is characterised by a high HCV endemicity without any evidence on the route of transmission. The information on HCV genotypes that circulate in this area is also limited and controversial. HIV infection is very frequent in this region and mostly acquired via the heterosexual route. The aim of this work was to investigate the trend of HCV infection and genotypes among HIV high-risk groups from Cameroon. Four hundred eighty-two patients including 229 tuberculosis clinic attendants, 184 sexually transmitted disease clinic attendants, and 69 HIV clinical suspects from another clinic were enrolled. All plasma samples were screened for antibodies to HCV and HCV RNA. Genotypes were assigned by sequencing a 5'UTR amplified fragment. The overall prevalence of HCV markers was 11.6% and a significant increasing trend with respect to age was observed. A proportion of 64.1% (34/53) of HCV antibody positive samples was viraemic. HCV RNA was found in 3 samples that were indeterminate in RIBA 3.0. One was negative in the antibody screening test and the two others were weakly positive. The data on HCV genotypes revealed that genotype 1 was involved in 57% of viraemias, genotype 2 in 24%, while genotypes 4 and 5a accounted for 16 and 3%, respectively. In contrary to the predominance of genotype 4 reported in some African countries and even the neighbouring countries, these data demonstrate clearly that HCV infection in Cameroon is dominated by genotypes 1 and 2. No association was found between the HCV markers and the presence of HIV infection. It is concluded, therefore, that the heterosexual route plays a minor role in HCV transmission in this country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Ndjomou
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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39
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Abstract
Infections with hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV) are widespread in human populations throughout the world, and are major causes of chronic liver disease and liver cancer. HBV, HCV and the related hepatitis G virus or GB virus C (referred to here as HGV/GBV-C) are capable of establishing persistent, frequently lifelong infections characterized by high levels of continuous replication. All three viruses show substantial genetic heterogeneity, which has allowed each to be classified into a number of distinct genotypes that have different geographical distributions and associations with different risk groups for infection. Information on their past transmission and epidemiology might be obtained by estimation of the time of divergence of the different genotypes of HCV, HBV and HGV/GBV-C using knowledge of their rates of sequence change. While information on the latter is limited to short observation periods and is therefore subject to considerable error and uncertainty, the relatively recent times of origin for genotype of each virus predicted by this method (HCV, 500-2000 years; HBV, 3000 years; HGV/GBV-C, 200 years) are quite incompatible with their epidemiological distributions in human populations. They also cannot easily be reconciled with the recent evidence for species-associated variants of HBV and HGV/GBV-C in a range of non-human primates. The apparent conservatism of viruses over long periods implied by their epidemiological distributions instead suggests that nucleotide sequence change may be subject to constraints peculiar to viruses with single-stranded genomes, or with overlapping reading frames that defy attempts to reconstruct evolution according to the principles of the 'molecular clock'. Large population sizes and intense selection pressures that optimize fitness may be additional factors that set virus evolution apart from that of their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Simmonds
- Laboratory for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University of Edinburgh, Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1QH, UK.
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40
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Alfonso V, Flichman D, Sookoian S, Mbayed VA, Campos RH. Phylogenetic characterization of genotype 4 hepatitis C virus isolates from Argentina. J Clin Microbiol 2001; 39:1989-92. [PMID: 11326031 PMCID: PMC88066 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.39.5.1989-1992.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Among 114 patients infected with hepatitis C virus, three genotype 4 isolates, unusual in Argentina, were detected by phylogenetic analysis over different genomic regions. The patients were not related. One sample was associated with Egyptian sequences, and the others were associated with a Zairean isolate, a fact which reinforces the idea that they are from independent sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Alfonso
- Cátedra de Virología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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41
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Morice Y, Roulot D, Grando V, Stirnemann J, Gault E, Jeantils V, Bentata M, Jarrousse B, Lortholary O, Pallier C, Dény P. Phylogenetic analyses confirm the high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) type 4 in the Seine-Saint-Denis district (France) and indicate seven different HCV-4 subtypes linked to two different epidemiological patterns. J Gen Virol 2001; 82:1001-1012. [PMID: 11297675 DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-82-5-1001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been classified into six clades as a result of high genetic variability. In the Seine-Saint-Denis district of north-east Paris, the prevalence of HCV-4, which usually infects populations from Africa or the Middle East, is twice as high as that recorded for the whole of continental France (10.2 versus 4.5%). Although the pathogenicity of HCV-4 remains unknown, resistance of HCV-4 to therapy appears to be similar to that observed for HCV-1. In order to characterize the epidemiology of HCV-4 in Paris, sequences of the non-structural 5B gene (332 bp) were obtained from 38 HCV-4-infected patients. Extensive phylogenetic analyses indicated seven different HCV-4 subtypes. Moreover, phylogenetic tree topologies clearly distinguished two epidemiological profiles. The first profile (52.6% of patients) reflects the intra-suburban emergence of two distinct HCV-4 subclades occurring mainly among intravenous drug users (65% of patients). The second profile shows six subclades [HCV-4a, -4f, -4h, -4k, -4a(B) and a new sequence] and accounts for patients from Africa (Egypt and sub-Saharan countries) who have unknown risk factors (77.8% of patients) and in whom no recent diffusion of HCV-4 is evident. This study indicates the high diversity of HCV-4 and the extension of HCV-4a and -4d subclades among drug users in FRANCE:
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoann Morice
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Virologie-Hygiène, Hôpital Avicenne, Equipe d'accueil Agents Transmissibles et Hôtes, Signalisation Cellulaire et Oncogenese, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France1
| | - Dominique Roulot
- Services d'Hépatologie-Gastroentérologie, Réseau hépatite C Nord-Est Parisien, Hôpitaux Avicenne et Jean Verdier, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny et Bondy, France2
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Virologie-Hygiène, Hôpital Avicenne, Equipe d'accueil Agents Transmissibles et Hôtes, Signalisation Cellulaire et Oncogenese, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France1
| | - Véronique Grando
- Services d'Hépatologie-Gastroentérologie, Réseau hépatite C Nord-Est Parisien, Hôpitaux Avicenne et Jean Verdier, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny et Bondy, France2
| | - Jérome Stirnemann
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Virologie-Hygiène, Hôpital Avicenne, Equipe d'accueil Agents Transmissibles et Hôtes, Signalisation Cellulaire et Oncogenese, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France1
| | - Elyanne Gault
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Virologie-Hygiène, Hôpital Avicenne, Equipe d'accueil Agents Transmissibles et Hôtes, Signalisation Cellulaire et Oncogenese, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France1
| | - Vincent Jeantils
- Services de Médecine Interne et de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre d'Information et de Soins de l'Immunodéficience Humaine du 93 (CISIH 93), Hôpitaux Avicenne et Jean Verdier, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny et Bondy, France3
| | - Michelle Bentata
- Services de Médecine Interne et de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre d'Information et de Soins de l'Immunodéficience Humaine du 93 (CISIH 93), Hôpitaux Avicenne et Jean Verdier, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny et Bondy, France3
| | - Bernard Jarrousse
- Services de Médecine Interne et de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre d'Information et de Soins de l'Immunodéficience Humaine du 93 (CISIH 93), Hôpitaux Avicenne et Jean Verdier, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny et Bondy, France3
| | - Olivier Lortholary
- Services de Médecine Interne et de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre d'Information et de Soins de l'Immunodéficience Humaine du 93 (CISIH 93), Hôpitaux Avicenne et Jean Verdier, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny et Bondy, France3
| | - Coralie Pallier
- Service de Microbiologie, Unité de Virologie, CHU de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France4
| | - Paul Dény
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Virologie-Hygiène, Hôpital Avicenne, Equipe d'accueil Agents Transmissibles et Hôtes, Signalisation Cellulaire et Oncogenese, UFR Santé Médecine Biologie Humaine, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France1
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42
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Abstract
The spread and origins of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in human populations have been the subject of extensive investigations, not least because of the importance this information would provide in predicting clinical outcomes and controlling spread of HCV in the future. However, in the absence of historical and archaeological records of infection, the evolution of HCV and other human hepatitis viruses can only be inferred indirectly from their epidemiology and by genetic analysis of contemporary virus populations. Some information on the history of the latter may be obtained by dating the time of divergence of various genotypes of HCV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the non-pathogenic hepatitis G virus (HGV)/GB virus-C (GBV-C). However, the relatively recent times predicted for the origin of these viruses fit poorly with their epidemiological distributions and the recent evidence for species-associated variants of HBV and HGV/GBV-C in a wide range of non-human primates. The apparent conservatism of viruses over long periods implied by these latter observations may be the result of constraints on sequence change peculiar to viruses with single-stranded genomes, or with overlapping reading frames. Large population sizes and intense selection pressures that optimize fitness may be the factors that set virus evolution apart from that of their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Simmonds
- Laboratory for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University of Edinburgh, Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1QH, UK1
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43
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Stark K, Poggensee G, Höhne M, Bienzle U, Kiwelu I, Schreier E. Seroepidemiology of TT virus, GBC-C/HGV, and hepatitis viruses B, C, and E among women in a rural area of Tanzania. J Med Virol 2000; 62:524-30. [PMID: 11074483 DOI: 10.1002/1096-9071(200012)62:4<524::aid-jmv19>3.0.co;2-n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The seroprevalence and determinants of hepatitis B, C, and E virus infection, and of GBV-C/hepatitis G virus and TT virus infection were investigated among women from a rural area of northeastern Tanzania. High seroprevalence rates were found for TTV (74%), HBV (74%), and GBV-C/HGV (35%), whereas 7% of the women had evidence of HCV and HEV infection. The majority of TTV DNA sequences in the study population belonged to the genotypes 1 or 2. One sequence seems to represent a new subtype of genotype 4. The GBV-C/HGV sequences either belonged to the genomic Group 1b or to the recently described Group 4. In multivariate analysis, the detection of TTV DNA was associated significantly with a larger number of children in the household and with older age. A history of injections of contraceptive hormones was an independent risk factor for HCV infection. The findings on TTV are consistent with fecal-oral transmission, and recurrent infections may occur in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Stark
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Charité, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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44
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Cancré N, Bois F, Grésenguet G, Fretz C, Fournel JJ, Bélec L. Screening blood donations for hepatitis C in Central Africa: analysis of a risk- and cost-based decision tree. Med Decis Making 1999; 19:296-306. [PMID: 10424836 DOI: 10.1177/0272989x9901900308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Four screening strategies (no testing, HC Abbott, HC Pasteur, and a combined test) for the detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody in donated blood were considered in a formal decision tree. Decision criteria included residual risk of infection and overall monetary cost. Tree parameters were determined using data from the Central African Republic. The prevalences observed among blood donors for HIV infection, hepatitis B, syphilis, and hepatitis C varied between 6% and 15%. The current residual risk of transfusion-transmitted infections is very high (8.4%). Screening for HCV would bring that risk down to about 3% with either the HC Pasteur, the HC Abbott, or the combined test. Even though baseline analysis gives preference to the HC Abbott test (the combined test coming out last), Monte Carlo sensitivity and uncertainty analyses showed that Abbott's and Pasteur's tests are interchangeable, on the basis or either risk or cost considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Cancré
- B3E-INSERM U444, Faculté de Médecine St. Antoine, Paris, France
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45
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Cancré N, Grésenguet G, Mbopi-Kéou FX, Kozemaka A, Si Mohamed A, Matta M, Fournel JJ, Bélec L. Hepatitis C virus RNA viremia in Central Africa. Emerg Infect Dis 1999; 5:484-5. [PMID: 10341195 PMCID: PMC2640768 DOI: 10.3201/eid0503.990330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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46
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Jeannel D, Fretz C, Traore Y, Kohdjo N, Bigot A, Gamy EP, Jourdan G, Kourouma K, Maertens G, Fumoux F, Fournel JJ, Stuyver L. Evidence for high genetic diversity and long-term endemicity of hepatitis C virus genotypes 1 and 2 in West Africa. J Med Virol 1998. [DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(199806)55:2<92::aid-jmv2>3.0.co;2-i] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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