title: Hepatitis Delta virus genotype 8 infection in Northeast Brazil: inheritance from African slaves?
abstract: Hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) is endemic worldwide, but its prevalence varies in different geographical areas. While in the Brazilian Amazon, HDV is known to be endemic and to represent a significant public health problem, few studies have assessed its prevalence in other regions in the country. This study evaluated the seroprevalence of HDV among HBsAg chronic carriers from Maranhão state, a region located in the Northeast of Brazil. Among 133 patients, 5 had anti-HD, of whom 3 had HDV RNA. HDV genotypes were characterized by Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences from the HDAg coding region. HDV-3 was identified in one patient who lives in Maranhão, but was born in Amazonas state (Western Amazon basin). Phylogenetic analysis shows that this HDV-3 sequence grouped with other HDV-3 sequences isolated in this state, which suggests that the patient probably contracted HDV infection there. Surprisingly, the other two patients were infected with HDV-8, an African genotype. These patients were born and have always lived in Urbano Santos, a rural county of Maranhão state, moreover they had never been to Africa and denied any contact with people from that continent. This is the first description of the HDV-8 in non-native African populations. This genotype may have been introduced to Brazil through the slaves brought to the country from the West Africa regions during the 16-18th centuries. Our results indicate that the need of clinical and epidemiological studies to investigate the presence of this infection in other areas in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luis, Maranhão, Brazil.
authors.forename: L M F
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gomes-Gouvêa
authors.forename: J R R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Alvarado-Mora
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.forename: M C J
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mendes-Corrêa
authors.forename: A J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Caldas
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: M D C
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: A S P
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral