title: Increased prevalence of genotype F hepatitis B virus isolates in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
abstract: The genomic coding region of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was partially sequenced from 12 HBsAg-positive sera of carriers residing in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A phylogenetic analysis groups the 12 isolates into genotypes A (n = 4), B (n = 1), D (n = 2), and F (n = 5). The occurrence of genotypes A and D is not unexpected, considering the mainly European origin of the studied population. The high prevalence of genotype F and its genetic composition support the suggestion that F strains originated in native populations of the New World.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Virología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidadde Buenos Aires, Capital Federal, Argentina.
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Telenta
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Poggio
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemberg
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Campos
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015995:Prevalence