title: Identification of two phylogenetic lineages of equine hepacivirus and high prevalence in Brazil.
abstract: Non-primate hepacivirus (NPHV), as described in horses, is the virus most genetically related to hepatitis C virus (HCV). Although detected worldwide, limited data on genomic variability and distribution of NPHV are available in Latin America. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity and prevalence of equine NPHV in Brazil. Thirteen percent of 202 equines from three Brazilian states were positive for NPHV genome by reverse transcriptase PCR. Nucleotide sequences of the partial NS5B genome presented the greatest diversity described to date (25.6%), which is comparable to the upper limit of diversity for HCV subtype classification for the same region. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Brazilian NPHV sequences along with isolates worldwide form two strongly supported clades (pp = 1.0) suggesting the existence of two distinct lineages.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360 Brazil. Electronic address: andreza.figueiredo@ioc.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Andreza Soriano
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360 Brazil.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lampe
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360 Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcia Paschoal
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: do Espírito-Santo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360 Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Campello do Amaral
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Institute, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 23851-970 Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Queiroz
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Hantaviruses and Rickettsioses, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360 Brazil.
authors.forename: Elba Regina Sampaio
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: de Lemos
authors.affiliation: Animal Science Institute, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 23851-970 Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatianne Leme Oliveira Santos
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Godoi
authors.affiliation: Animal Science Institute, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 23851-970 Brazil.
authors.forename: Luana Avila Giorgia
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Dimache
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 23851-970 Brazil.
authors.forename: Debora Regina Lopes
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360 Brazil.
authors.forename: Livia Melo
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Villar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Brazil; Horse; Non-primate hepacivirus; Nucleotide distance; Subtype classification