Distribution of hepatitis B virus genotypes in two different pediatric populations from Argentina.
Differences in pathogenesis and the probability of becoming a chronic carrier depend on the age at which hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is acquired, ranging from 82% in infants less than 6 months of age to 15 to 30% in older children. HBV genotypes from 22 pediatric patients from two areas that differ in prevalence have been determined. Phylogenetic analysis shows a clear difference between the genotype distribution in Buenos Aires, a low-prevalence area, and that found in Gualeguay, Entre Ríos, a high-prevalence area. While the analysis allocated the sequences in the Buenos Aires group to genotypes A (36%), D (9%), and F (55%), the Gualeguay group presented exclusively genotype A isolates with very low nucleotide divergence, which suggests a strong founder viral population. The high prevalence of genotype F in the Buenos Aires group and its high intragroup heterogeneity agree with the American origin of this genotype.
Cátedra de Virología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
V A
VA
Mbayed
J L
JL
López
P F
PF
Telenta
G
G
Palacios
I
I
Badía
A
A
Ferro
C
C
Galoppo
R
R
Campos
D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral