title: Hepatitis B and C virus variants in long-term immunosuppressed renal transplant patients in Latvia.
abstract: The incidence of genome variants of hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses among 38 long-term (2-15 years) immunosuppressed patients after renal transplantation and 10 patients undergoing dialysis was investigated. Twelve patients had only HBV infection, 9 had only HCV infection and 14 were co-infected. Regions corresponding to the HBV X/EnII/BCP, preC/C, preS/S and to the HCV core were sequenced for molecular characterization of the HBV and HCV genomes. Fifty-seven percent of HBV DNA isolates belonged to genotype D and 42% to genotype A, whereas 77% of HCV RNA isolates belonged to genotype 1b and only 17% to genotype 3a. One sample (6%) was of genotype 2c. Detailed analysis of the above-mentioned HBV genome regions revealed the presence of nucleotide point mutations, which, in some cases, resulted in amino acid substitutions. The clinical significance of such mutations is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research and Study Centre, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia. irina@biomed.lu.lv
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sominskaya
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mihailova
authors.forename: Juris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jansons
authors.forename: Viktorija
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Emelyanova
authors.forename: Inese
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Folkmane
authors.forename: Eriks
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smagris
authors.forename: Uga
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dumpis
authors.forename: Rafails
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rozentals
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pumpens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007844:Latvia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D017354:Point Mutation; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D017385:Sequence Homology