title: Molecular analysis of hepatitis B virus in Bulgaria.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus infection is a global health problem. Based on the sequence divergence of the entire genome, hepatitis B virus has been classified into eight genotypes which have a characteristic geographic distribution. To date, no data are available on the molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Bulgaria. The aim of the present study was to reconstruct the epidemiological history of HBV genotypes/subgenotypes circulating in Bulgaria using a phylodynamic approach and a Bayesian statistical inference framework. Sequence analysis of the HBsAg/Reverse Transcriptase overlapping genomic regions revealed that D1 and A2 were the subgenotypes detected most frequently in the patients examined. The tMRCA estimations of the few HBV D1 Bulgarian significant clades dated back to 23-27 years ago, corresponding to the early 1980s. The HBV A2 Bulgarian sequences fell into two closely related supported clusters dated to 2003 and 1996 years, respectively, suggesting a more recent introduction of subgenotype A2 into Bulgaria. The study provides new information about the HBV subgenotypes in Bulgaria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic, and Immunomediated Disease, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccozzi
authors.forename: Muhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babakir-Mina
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lo Presti
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salpini
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cella
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gabanelli
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Teoharov
authors.forename: Ani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kevorkyan
authors.forename: Carlo Federico
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Perno
authors.forename: Gianguglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zehender
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase