title: Genetic history of hepatitis C virus in Venezuela: high diversity and long time of evolution of HCV genotype 2.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The subtype diversity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes is unknown in Venezuela.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Partial sequencing of the NS5B region was performed in 310 isolates circulating in patients from 1995 to 2007. In the samples collected between 2005 and 2007, HCV genotype 1 (G1) was the most common genotype (63%), composed as expected of mainly G1a and G1b. G2 was the second most common genotype (33%), being G2a almost absent and G2j the most frequent subtype. Sequence analysis of the core region confirmed the subtype assignment performed within the NS5b region in 63 isolates. The complete genome sequence of G2j was obtained. G2j has been described in France, Canada and Burkina Fasso, but it was not found in Martinique, where several subtypes of G2 circulate in the general population. Bayesian coalescence analysis indicated a most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of G2j around 1785, before the introduction of G1b (1869) and G1a (1922). While HCV G1a and G1b experienced a growth reduction since 1990, coincident with the time when blood testing was implemented in Venezuela, HCV G2j did not seem to reach growth equilibrium during this period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assuming the introduction of G2j from Africa during the slave trade, the high frequency of G2j found in Venezuela could suggest: 1- the introduction of African ethnic groups different from the ones introduced to Martinique or 2- the occurrence of a founder effect. This study represents an in-depth analysis of the subtype diversity of HCV in Venezuela, which is still unexplored in the Americas and deserves further studies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, CMBC, IVIC, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Maria Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Sulbarán
authors.forename: Federico A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Di Lello
authors.forename: Yoneira
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sulbarán
authors.forename: Clarisa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cosson
authors.forename: Carmen L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.forename: Héctor R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.forename: Jean F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cantaloube
authors.forename: Rodolfo H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moratorio
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cristina
authors.forename: Flor H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Pujol
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018703:Founder Effect; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014687:Venezuela; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
chemical_list: D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C087036:NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase