title: Molecular epidemiology and forensic genetics: application to a hepatitis C virus transmission event at a hemodialysis unit.
abstract: Molecular phylogenetic analyses are frequently used in epidemiologic testing, although only occasionally in forensics. Their acceptability is hampered by a lack of statistical confidence in the conclusions. However, maximum likelihood testing provides a sound statistical framework for the testing of phylogenetic hypotheses relevant for forensic analysis. We present the results of applying this method to a small hepatitis C outbreak produced in a hospital hemodialysis unit that involved 6 patients. Polymerase chain reaction products from a 472-nt fragment of the E1-E2 region, including the hypervariable region, HVR-1, of the hepatitis C virus genome were cloned, and an average of 10 clones/patient and from 11 additional control patients were sequenced. The method allows a statistical evaluation that the likelihood of each sample belonging or not to a given group, a question of relevance in many forensic and epidemiological analyses of molecular sequences.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. fernando.gonzalez@uv.es
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: González-Candelas
authors.forename: María Alma
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bracho
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moya
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral