Genetic characterization of a novel hepatitis a virus strain in irrigation water in South Africa.
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) was detected, by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, in irrigation water from a dam on a commercial fresh produce farm in South Africa (SA). The virus was characterized by nucleotide sequence and phylogenetic analysis of a consensus sequence spanning the VP1 and VP1/P2B genomic regions. Amino acid sequence and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the HAV strain was closely related to HAV genotype V and possibly of simian origin. This suggests that a novel HAV may be circulating in SA and its presence in irrigation water highlights the potential for zoonotic or anthroponotic cross-species transmission via environmental food and water sources.
Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Saïd
S
Rachida
Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Peter N
PN
Matsapola
Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Marianne
M
Wolfaardt
Maureen B
MB
Taylor
D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005838:Genotype; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013019:South Africa; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014871:Water Microbiology
D012367:RNA, Viral; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins
RT-PCR detection; environment; genotype; non-human primate; phylogenetic tree