Transmission of hepatitis B virus infection in Gambian families revealed by phylogenetic analysis

Citation
U. Dumpis et al., Transmission of hepatitis B virus infection in Gambian families revealed by phylogenetic analysis, J HEPATOL, 35(1), 2001, pp. 99-104
Citations number
19
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Gastroenerology and Hepatology","da verificare
Journal title
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
ISSN journal
0168-8278 → ACNP
Volume
35
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
99 - 104
Database
ISI
SICI code
0168-8278(200107)35:1<99:TOHBVI>2.0.ZU;2-H
Abstract
Background/Aims: Transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Africa occurs h orizontally, with most people becoming infected between the ages of 1 and 5 years. The index cases in such events have been assumed to come from withi n the family unit or from sources outside the immediate family, such as oth er families or inhabitants of the same compound or village. Here, we define these routes of transmission by phylogenetic tree analysis of sequences fr om the entire pre-core/core region of the virus, in Gambian chronic carrier s. Methods: Amplification by polymerase chain reaction of serum extracted HBV- DNA was followed by direct sequencing of the target region. Following editi ng and alignment of these sequences, phylogenetic tree analysis was perform ed using the neighbour-joining and maximum-likelihood methods. Results: Despite the overall conserved nature of the sequences of the pre-c ore/core region from 142 chronic carriers, distinct clusters were easily de fined at the family and village level, but not on a wider geographical sepa ration. Conclusions: Phylogenetic tree analysis of sequences obtained from family m embers provided strong evidence of intrafamilial transmission of HBV in at least two-thirds of the families studied from Gambia, (C) 2001 European Ass ociation for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.