Molecular epidemiology of acute hepatitis B in the Netherlands in 2004: nationwide survey

Abstract

To gain insight into hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission in the Netherlands, epidemiological data and sera were collected from reported cases of acute HBV infections in the Netherlands in 2004. Cases were classified according to mode of transmission. A fragment of the S-gene of HBV (648 bp) was amplified, sequenced, and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Of the 291 acute HBV cases reported in 2004, 158 (54%) were available for genotyping. Phylogenetic analysis identified 6 genotypes: A (64%), B (3%), C (3%), D (21%), E (5%) and F (5%). Of HBV infected men having sex with men, 86% were infected with genotype A, accounting for 43% of all patients infected with this genotype. There were only three reported cases of injecting drug use of which one was available for sequencing (genotype A). Unlike the genotype A cluster, sequences within the genotype B-E clusters were heterogenic. Within genotype F, several isolates had identical sequences, but patients could not be epidemiologically linked. Sexual transmission, particularly by men having sex with men was the most important transmission route for HBV. Injecting drug use plays a minor role. Genotype A is predominant in the Netherlands, especially among men having sex with men. In addition to imported strains, there seems to be a pool of related but non-identical strains circulating among chronic carriers in the migrant population, from which occasionally new patients are infected, primarily by heterosexual transmission.

Surveillance and epidemiology of hepatitis B and C in Europe – a review

“…For example, genotype A seems to be the prevailing one in Belgium [10], Iceland [11], the Netherlands [12], and Poland [13], whereas genotype D is dominant in northern Italy [14] and Spain [15]. Also, genotypes B and C which are common in Asian countries, genotype E which occurs in Western Africa, and genotypes F and G which are the main genotypes found in South and Central America, respectively, have been detected in Europe.…”

Hepatitis B Virus Genotypes in Latvia

“…Our data also support the postulate, that genotype D is predominant in the Mediterranean region, Southern and Eastern Europe, in such countries as Hungary [48], Italy: 73% of the genotype D, and 26% of the genotype A [49,50], and Spain: 63,2% and 23.1%, respectively [51,52]. In most Western European countries, such as Belgium 54% of genotype A, and 31% of genotype D [53], the Netherlands 64%, and 21% respectively [54] genotype A dominates.…”

Phylogenetic analysis of isolates from new cases of HBV infection in Southern Italy

“…For example, in Japan, where HBV/B and HBV/C are the endemic genotypes, and in the Netherlands new AHB infections with HBV/A genotype were shown to be on the rise (Matsuura et al, 2009;Takeda et al, 2006;van Houdt et al, 2007).…”