Another novel subgenotype of hepatitis B virus genotype C from papuans of Highland origin

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J Med Virol. 2011 Feb;83(2):225-34.

Another novel subgenotype of hepatitis B virus genotype C from papuans of

Highland origin.

Juniastuti, Utsumi T, Nugrahaputra VE, Amin M; Soetjipto, Hayashi Y, Hotta H,

Lusida MI.

Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya,

Indonesia.

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes and subtypes have been identified worldwide.

As HBV genotypes/subtypes, the HBV subgenotypes seem to be associated with their

geographical distribution and ethnic origin. A previous study showed the novel

HBV subgenotype C6 based on the complete genome sequences of isolates in Papua,

Indonesia. In the present study, further characterization of HBV in Jayapura

(capital of Papua Province), particularly from native people of Papua

originating from the highland (highland Papuans) and those from the lowland

(lowland Papuans) were examined. Of 32 HBV isolates from both highland and

lowland Papuan blood donors with HBsAg positive, part of the S gene and the core

gene sequences were analyzed. Analyses of some isolates from highland Papuans

were confirmed by the complete genome sequences. Most HBV isolates were

classified into genotype C (78.1%), followed by genotype B (18.8%), and genotype

D (3.1%). The subtype adr was predominant (71.9%), followed by adw2 (25.1%), and

ayw2 (3.1%). As with previous findings, phylogenetic analyses revealed that most

HBV isolates from Papuans, C/adr, belonged to subgenotype C6. Interestingly,

some C/adr isolates from highland Papuans formed a distinct cluster from all

reported subgenotypes of HBV/C, and they differed from HBV/C1-C10 by 4.2-7.2%

over the complete genome. SimPlot analysis showed no evidence of recombination

with HBV/C1-C10. The isolated life and closed social systems of highland

Papuans, even though some have been moving to Jayapura, likely contribute to the

formation of this unique cluster of infection with a novel subgenotype of HBV,

named C11.

J. Med. Virol. 83:225-234, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 21181916 [PubMed - in process]