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Molecular characterization of hepatitis B virus from chronically-infected patients in Niamey, Niger
Souleymane Brah1, Sahada Moussa2, Achirou Inoua3
1IHU Méditerranée Infection, Pôle des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Clinique et Biologique, Service de Maladies Infectieuses, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Nord, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille, chemin des Bourrely, 13915 Marseille cedex 20; Service de médecine interne, Hôpital National de Niamey, BP 238 - Niger.
Objectives:
In Niger, 65% of hepatocarcinoma and 75% of cirrhosis cases were due to hepatitis B virus (HBV). We studied the genotypic characteristics of HBsAg in chronically HBV-infected patients in Niamey.
Methods:
We studied prospectively HBV genotypic patterns among hospitalized patients with HBV infection in the National Hospital of Niamey, Niger. Patients were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV genotyping was performed on the HBsAg-positive patients.
Results:
In this study, we have confirmed the predominance of the HBV genotype E (HBV-E) in Niger and have identified 2 recombinant forms including HBV-E/D and HBV-A3/E reported previously among blood donors in Niger and Ghana, respectively. Amino acid substitutions found in HBV sequences obtained here included P120T, S143L, G145A and A194T. These substitutions were characterized as being associated with modified antigenicity and, notably, with impaired serological detection of HBsAg, while the A194T variant was found to have a controversial role in reduced susceptibility to tenofovir.
Conclusions:
We have identified two recombinant HBV forms and rare genotypic patterns in Niger that may affect hepatitis B surface antigen antigenicity, and improve current knowledge of epidemiological, clinical and virological patterns of hepatitis B in this country.