title: Molecular Tracing of Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1 Isolates in Iran: A NS5B Phylogenetic Analysis with Systematic Review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is characterized by a high degree of genetic heterogeneity and classified into 7 genotypes and different subtypes. It heterogeneously distributed through various risk groups and geographical regions. A well-established phylogenetic relationship can simplify the tracing of HCV hierarchical strata into geographical regions. The current study aimed to find genetic phylogeny of subtypes 1a and 1b of HCV isolates based on NS5B nucleotide sequences in Iran and other members of Eastern Mediterranean regional office of world health organization, as well as other Middle Eastern countries, with a systematic review of available published and unpublished studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The phylogenetic analyses were performed based on the nucleotide sequences of NS5B gene of HCV genotype 1 (HCV-1), which were registered in the GenBank database. The literature review was performed in two steps: 1) searching studies evaluating the NS5B sequences of HCV-1, on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, and 2) Searching sequences of unpublished studies registered in the GenBank database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 442 sequences from HCV-1a and 232 from HCV-1b underwent phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of all sequences revealed different clusters in the phylogenetic trees. The results showed that the proportion of HCV-1a and -1b isolates from Iranian patients probably originated from domestic sources. Moreover, the HCV-1b isolates from Iranian patients may have similarities with the European ones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, phylogenetic reconstruction of HCV-1 sequences clearly indicated for molecular tracing and ancestral relationships of the HCV genotypes in Iran, and showed the likelihood of domestic origin for HCV-1a and various origin for HCV-1b.
authors.affiliation: Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases (BRCGL), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran; Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) Center, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Khashayar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hesamizadeh
authors.affiliation: Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases (BRCGL), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran; Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) Center, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Moayed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavian
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Azar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Najafi Tireh Shabankareh
authors.affiliation: Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases (BRCGL), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran; Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) Center, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Heidar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sharafi
keywords: Hepatitis C; Iran; Middle East; NS5B; Sequence Analysis, Phylogeny