Phylogenetic Analysis and Epidemic History of Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 2 in Tunisia, North Africa.
HCV genotype 2 (HCV-2) has a worldwide distribution with prevalence rates that vary from country to country. High genetic diversity and long-term endemicity were suggested in West African countries. A global dispersal of HCV-2 would have occurred during the 20th century, especially in European countries. In Tunisia, genotype 2 was the second prevalent genotype after genotype 1 and most isolates belong to subtypes 2c and 2k. In this study, phylogenetic analyses based on the NS5B genomic sequences of 113 Tunisian HCV isolates from subtypes 2c and 2k were carried out. A Bayesian coalescent-based framework was used to estimate the origin and the spread of these subtypes circulating in Tunisia. Phylogenetic analyses of HCV-2c sequences suggest the absence of country-specific or time-specific variants. In contrast, the phylogenetic grouping of HCV-2k sequences shows the existence of two major genetic clusters that may represent two distinct circulating variants. Coalescent analysis indicated a most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of Tunisian HCV-2c around 1886 (1869-1902) before the introduction of HCV-2k in 1901 (1867-1931). Our findings suggest that the introduction of HCV-2c in Tunisia is possibly a result of population movements between Tunisia and European population following the French colonization.
Pasteur Institute, Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Tunis, Tunisia.|University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences, Bizerte, Tunisia.
Mouna
M
Rajhi
Pasteur Institute, Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Mathematics and Statistics, Tunis, Tunisia.|University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, 1036, Tunisia.
Kais
K
Ghedira
Pasteur Institute, Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Tunis, Tunisia.
Anissa
A
Chouikha
Pasteur Institute, Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Tunis, Tunisia.
Ahlem
A
Djebbi
Department of Gastroenterology, Regional Hospital of Bizerte, Bizerte, Tunisia.
Imed
I
Cheikh
Pasteur Institute, Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Tunis, Tunisia.
Ahlem
A
Ben Yahia
Pasteur Institute, Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Tunis, Tunisia.
Amel
A
Sadraoui
Pasteur Institute, Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Tunis, Tunisia.
Walid
W
Hammami
Department of Gastroenterology, Regional Hospital of Nabeul, Nabeul, Tunisia.
Msaddek
M
Azouz
Department of Gastroenterology, La Rabta Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Nabil
N
Ben Mami
Pasteur Institute, Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Tunis, Tunisia.|University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, 1036, Tunisia.
Henda
H
Triki
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D058872:Epidemics / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins