Molecular characterization of hepatitis B virus isolates from Zimbabwean blood donors.

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J Med Virol. 2011 Feb;83(2):235-44.

Molecular characterization of hepatitis B virus isolates from Zimbabwean blood

donors.

Gulube Z, Chirara M, Kew M, Tanaka Y, Mizokami M, Kramvis A.

Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Programme (formerly MRC/CANSA/University

Molecular Hepatology Research Unit), Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of

Internal Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg,

South Africa.

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is endemic in Africa, being hyperendemic in sub-Saharan

Africa. Genotypes A, D, and E circulate in Africa, showing a distinct

geographical distribution. The aim of the present study was to determine the HBV

genotype distribution in blood donors from different geographical locations in

Zimbabwe. Using a restriction fragment polymorphism assay, sequencing of the

basic core promoter/precore region and of the complete S open reading frame

showed that 29 HBV isolates from geographically distinct regions belong to

subgenotype A1. The complete genome of two of these Zimbabwean HBV isolates was

sequenced. Forty-four percent of the Zimbabwean HBV isolates (11/23) were

characterized by a G1862C missense mutation, which causes a Val to Leu amino

acid substitution at position 17 of the precore region. The majority of

Zimbabwean HBV isolates clustered with a number of South African HBV isolates,

with which they shared characteristic amino acids in the preS1, preS2, and

polymerase spacer regions. The wide distribution of subgenotype in Africa, as

well as the high intragroup divergence and the geographical clustering of the

African and Asian subgenotype A1 HBV isolates indicate that this subgenotype has

a long period of endemicity in these regions.

J. Med. Virol. 83:235-244, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 21181917 [PubMed - in process]