title: Molecular characterization of hepatitis B virus in blood donors from Burkina Faso: Prevalence of quasi-subgenotype A3, genotype E, and mixed infections.
abstract: Burkina Faso is a highly endemic area for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) which remains a major challenge for blood safety with >13% of candidate blood donors being chronically infected. However, little is known about the molecular epidemiology of the viral strains currently circulating. In this study, 99 HBV strains from HBsAg positive candidate blood donors in Ougadougou were genetically characterized by sequencing the pre-S/S region of the viral genome. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a 25% prevalence of HBV quasi-subgenotype A3 (A3QS) co-circulating with the confirmed dominant HBV genotype E (72%). HBV/A3QSsequences formed a sub-cluster closely related to West-African sequences previously characterized, and showed a low intra-group genetic diversity (0.75%) suggesting a relatively recent spreading of HBV/A3QSstrains in Burkina Faso. Low genetic diversity of genotype E strains compared to A3QSwas confirmed. Mixed infections with the two genotypes were identified in 3% of the donors tested and contributed to artifacts during PCR amplification of the viral genome leading to erroneous apparent intergenotype recombinant sequences. While the co-circulation of two HBV genotypes in a restricted area may favor the emergence of intergenotype recombinant variants, strictly controlled molecular experimental procedures should be used to accurately characterize HBV circulating recombinant forms. J. Med. Virol. 88:2145-2156, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: INTS/National Institute of Blood Transfusion, Department of Blood-Transmitted Agents, National Reference Centre for Viral Hepatitis B&C and HIV in Transfusion, Paris, France. dcandotti@ints.fr.|Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. dcandotti@ints.fr.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Candotti
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Research Centre Pietro Annigoni, LABIOGENE, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Birama
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Diarra
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Research Centre Pietro Annigoni, LABIOGENE, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.|Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Sciences of Masuku, Franceville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Cyrille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bisseye
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Research Centre Pietro Annigoni, LABIOGENE, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Issoufou
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: INTS/National Institute of Blood Transfusion, Department of Blood-Transmitted Agents, National Reference Centre for Viral Hepatitis B&C and HIV in Transfusion, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pham Quang
authors.affiliation: Unit of Formation in Health Sciences (UFR-SDS), University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Mahamoudou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanou
authors.affiliation: INTS/National Institute of Blood Transfusion, Department of Blood-Transmitted Agents, National Reference Centre for Viral Hepatitis B&C and HIV in Transfusion, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Syria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laperche
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Engineering Sciences and Technology of Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
authors.forename: Rokia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanogo
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Allain
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Research Centre Pietro Annigoni, LABIOGENE, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simpore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D058731:Blood Safety / Q000379:methods; D002050:Burkina Faso / Q000453:epidemiology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
keywords: blood safety; genetic recombination; hepatitis B virus; molecular epidemiology