title: Genotypic polymorphisms of hepatitis B virus provide useful information for estimating geographical origin or place of long-term residence of unidentified cadavers.
abstract: Increasing numbers of unidentified cadavers are a major problem. We have developed a new method for providing identification information that can determine the geographical origin or place of long-term residence of unidentified cadavers based on genotypic polymorphisms of hepatitis B virus (HBV) known to correlate with their geographical distribution. PCR of serum samples detected HBV DNA from 4 (3.9%) of 102 randomly selected Japanese forensic cadavers. Multiplex PCR did not detect multiple HBV genotypes from any single cadaver, confirming the absence of coinfection. Phylogenetic tree analysis based on a 485-bp mutant region of the HBV S gene successfully classified the HBV genotypes into A to J. Among 10 HBV-infected cadavers, 8 had genotype Ce/C2, a genotype prevalent in East Asia, and 2 had genotype Bj/B1, a Japanese-specific genotype. HBV genotypic polymorphisms correlate with the geographical distribution of the virus and thus provide important information for identifying unidentified cadavers infected with HBV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan; Forensic Science Laboratory, Chiba Prefectural Police Headquarters', 1-71-1 Chuo-minato, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-0024, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Motani-Saitoh
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurada
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikegaya
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.forename: Sayaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.forename: Hirotaro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwase
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005202:Asia, Eastern; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: estimating geographical origin; forensic science; genotyping; hepatitis B virus; polymerase chain reaction; unidentified cadaver