Full genome characterization of hepatitis B virus strains from blood donors in Iran

Abstract

Iran is a low to medium endemic country for hepatitis B virus (HBV), depending on the region, where genotype D is dominant. Samples from 170 asymptomatic HBsAg-positive blood donors were quantified and the median viral load was 6.7 × 10(2) IU/ml with 10.6% samples unquantifiable. Fifty complete genome sequences of these strains were characterized. Phylogenetic analysis identified 98% strains as subgenotype D1 and 2% as D2. Deduced serotypes were ayw2 (94%), ayw1 (4%), and adw (2%). The nucleotide diversity of the complete genome subgenotype D1 Iranian strains was limited (2.8%) and comparison with D1 strains from Egypt and Tunisia revealed little variation between strains from these three countries (range 1.9-2.8%). The molecular analysis of the individual genes revealed that the G1896A mutation was present in 86.2% of the strains and in 26 strains (29.9%) this mutation was accompanied by the G1899A mutation. The double mutations A1762T/G1764A and G1764T/C1766G were found in 20.7% and 24.1% of the strains, respectively. The pre-C initiation codon was mutated in five strains (5.8%). One strain had a 2-amino acid (aa) insertion at position s111 and another sP120Q substitution suggesting a vaccine escape mutant.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection and Recombination between HBV Genotypes D and E in Asymptomatic Blood Donors from Khartoum, Sudan

“…1). A similar viral load distribution was reported for genotype Dinfected blood donors from Poland, Tunisia, and Iran (16,17,26). In contrast, a bimodal distribution was observed in Sudanese genotype E-infected donors, as previously reported for a similar blood donor population from west Africa (4, 10) or for donors from southeast Asia infected with genotypes B and C (27).…”

“…The average intragroup nucleotide diversity was 2.6% (range, 0.4 to 10.6%) and 2.1% (range, 1.3 to 3.0%) for the Pre-S/S region and full genome, respectively. Diversity between subgenotype D1 Sudanese sequences and 91 previously characterized HBV/D1 sequences from Egypt (n ϭ 29), Tunisia (n ϭ 15), and Iran (n ϭ 47) (16), which were used as references, was 3.1% (range, 1.1 to 11.0%) for the complete genome minus the BCP/PC region. The average amino acid diversity within the Pre-S/S region of Sudanese HBV/D1 strains was 1.9% (range, 0 to 3.8%).…”

Hepatitis B Virus DNA Splicing in Lebanese Blood Donors and Genotype A to E Strains: Implications for Hepatitis B Virus DNA Quantification and Infectivity

“…1). Genotype D1 was prevalent in more than 80% of Western Asian strains (Lebanon, Turkey, and Iran) and less than 50% of the North African sequences (Tunisia and Sudan, where the D7 and E genotypes were dominant, respectively) but not in Egypt (7,12,20,21). The G1896A (60%) mutation was common, as reported in Mediterranean countries (10).…”

“…The G1896A (60%) mutation was common, as reported in Mediterranean countries (10). In Iran, Turkey, and Tunisia, the prevalence of the mutated 1896 nucleotide was 85%, 66%, and 85%, respectively (7,12,21). In HBsAg-positive donors, the vast majority of strains were essentially wild type, with only strain Leb 15 showing significant mutations in the MHR.…”

“…Among the Lebanese blood donor population, 0.9 to 1.6% are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers (9,26), a lower percentage than in other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries (7,12,21). A previous study conducted by restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns showed the predominance of HBV genotype D (29).…”