title: Investigating the origin and spread of hepatitis C virus genotype 5a.
abstract: Epidemiological and phylogenetic studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) have identified six major HCV genotypes and have attempted to characterize their origin and spread worldwide. Putative regions of endemic infection have been identified for all HCV genotypes except HCV genotype 5a. Although HCV genotype 5a was previously thought to be largely restricted to the northern part of South Africa, this study reports an unexpected cluster of the genotype in West Flanders Province in Belgium. To investigate the molecular epidemiology of this cluster and of HCV genotype 5a in general, a rigorous phylogenetic analysis of Belgian and South African HCV genotype 5a samples was performed. Remarkably, the Belgian and South African strains form two distinct clusters of similar diversity. We used a Bayesian coalescent method to estimate the rate of virus spread through time for HCV genotype 5a in both regions. Our results indicate that HCV genotype 5a strains have been spreading independently in Belgium and South Africa for more than 100 years, with a rate of spread characteristic of an epidemic genotype. These findings have major implications for tracing the origin of HCV genotype 5a. Here, we speculate about the possible origins of these clusters.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jannick
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verbeeck
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lemey
authors.forename: Oliver G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Pybus
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wollants
authors.forename: Ernie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nevens
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fevery
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Delport
authors.forename: Schalk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van der Merwe
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Ranst
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D013997:Time Factors