title: A new variant of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) from South Africa.
abstract: Phylogenetic analysis of the 5' non-coding region (5'NCR) sequences has demonstrated that GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) can be separated into three major groups that correlate with the geographic origin of the isolate. Sequence analysis of the 5'NCR of 54 GBV-C/HGV isolates from 31 blood donors, 11 haemodialysis patients and 12 patients with chronic liver disease suggests the presence of a new variant of GBV-C/HGV in the province of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Eleven isolates grouped as group 1 variants (bootstrap support, 90%) found predominantly in West and Central Africa, a further six isolates grouped as group 2 variants (bootstrap support, 58%) found in Europe and North America; five of which grouped as 2a (bootstrap support, 91%) and one as 2b (bootstrap support, 87%), the latter also includes isolates from Japan, East Africa and Pakistan. Although the remaining 37 GBV-C/HGV isolates were more closely related to group 1 variants (bootstrap support, 90%), they formed a cluster, which was distinct from all other known GBV-C/HGV sequences. None of the South African isolates grouped with group 3 variants described from Southeast Asia. Three variants of GBV-C/HGV exist in KwaZulu Natal: groups 1, 2 and a new variant, which is distinct from other African isolates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Natal/King Edward VIII Hospital, South Africa. sathar@med.und.ac.za
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sathar
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Soni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pegoraro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simmonds
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Dhillon
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Dusheiko
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral