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Migration pattern of hepatitis A virus genotype IA in North-Central Tunisia.
- Source :
-
Virology journal [Virol J] 2015 Feb 08; Vol. 12, pp. 17. Date of Electronic Publication: 2015 Feb 08. - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Background: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) epidemiology in Tunisia has changed from high to intermediate endemicity in the last decades. However, several outbreaks continue to occur. The last reported sequences from Tunisian HAV strains date back to 2006. In order to provide an updated overview of the strains currently circulating in Tunisia, a large-scale molecular analysis of samples from hepatitis A cases was performed, the first in Tunisia.<br />Results: Biological samples were collected from patients with laboratory confirmed hepatitis A: 145 sera samples in Tunis, Monastir, Sousse and Kairouan from 2008 to 2013 and 45 stool samples in Mahdia in 2009. HAV isolates were characterised by nested RT-PCR (VP1/2A region) and sequencing. The sequences finally obtained from 81 samples showed 78 genotype IA and 3 genotype IB isolates. A Tunisian genotype IA sequence dataset, including both the 78 newly obtained IA sequences and 51 sequences retrieved from GenBank, was used for phylogenetic investigation, including analysis of migration pattern among six towns. Virus gene flow from Sfax and Monastir was directed to all other towns; in contrast, the gene flows from Sousse, Tunis, Mahdia and Kairouan were directed to three, two, one and no towns, respectively.<br />Conclusions: Several different HAV strains co-circulate in Tunisia, but the predominant genotype still continues to be IA (78/81, 96% isolates). A complex gene flow (migration) of HAV genotype IA was observed, with Sfax and Monastir showing gene flows to all other investigated towns. This approach coupled to a wider sampling can prove useful to investigate the factors underlying the spread of HAV in Tunisia and, thus, to implement appropriate preventing measures.
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Cluster Analysis
Feces virology
Female
Gene Flow
Hepatitis A Virus, Human genetics
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Molecular Epidemiology
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sequence Homology
Serum virology
Tunisia epidemiology
Young Adult
Genotype
Hepatitis A epidemiology
Hepatitis A virology
Hepatitis A Virus, Human classification
Hepatitis A Virus, Human isolation & purification
RNA, Viral genetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1743-422X
- Volume :
- 12
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Virology journal
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 25886374
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-015-0249-9