title: Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Central America reflected in the genetic variability of the small S gene.
abstract: The S genes of 31 Central American hepatitis B virus (HBV) strains belonging to genotypes A, C, D, and F (4, 1, 4, and 22 strains, respectively) were compared with 104 published S genes. According to the deduced S gene product, 21 genotype F strains encoded adw4, while 1 encoded ayw4. Three clusters were revealed within genotype F, which correlated with substitutions at residue 45. In a cluster of 18 Central American and 1 Alaskan strain, all had Thr45. One cluster included 2 Central American strains and 6 strains from South America and Europe, which had Leu45. Two Nicaraguan strains differed by five substitutions, including a Pro45 in the S gene product from other F strains. In conclusion, the dominating HBV genotype was F, which might be the reason for a low prevalence of HBV in the area, despite high prevalence of hepatitis A. These infections otherwise vary in parallel and are considered to reflect socioeconomic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arauz-Ruiz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Norder
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Visoná
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Magnius
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002489:Central America / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011392:Proline / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013912:Threonine / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D013912:Threonine; D011392:Proline; D007930:Leucine