Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026
04:11
Author Spotlight: Advancements and Challenges in Hepatitis B Virus Detection
Published on: December 15, 2023
4.9K
Detection and characterization of hepatitis A virus circulating in Egypt
Hazem Hamza1, Dina Nadeem Abd-Elshafy2, Sayed A Fayed3
1Environmental Virology Laboratory, Department of Water Pollution Research, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt. hazem.hamzanrc@gmail.com.
Archives of Virology
|March 18, 2017
Summary
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) was detected in Egyptian wastewater, with phylogenetic analysis revealing subgenotype IB strains. A novel recombinant HAV strain was identified, offering insights into virus evolution.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Environmental Microbiology
- Molecular Epidemiology
Background:
- Hepatitis A virus (HAV) remains a significant global public health concern.
- Wastewater surveillance is crucial for monitoring infectious disease prevalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and genetic characteristics of Hepatitis A virus in wastewater in Egypt.
- To analyze the evolutionary dynamics of HAV strains circulating in the region.
Main Methods:
- Wastewater samples were collected from three treatment plants over one year.
- Hepatitis A virus detection using RT-PCR.
- Sequencing of the VP1-2A junction and complete genome.
- Phylogenetic and recombination analyses were performed.
Main Results:
- HAV was detected in 63.2% of wastewater samples.
- All sequenced isolates belonged to subgenotype IB.
- A novel recombinant HAV strain was identified, with evidence of recombination in the 2B nonstructural protein region.
- The first complete genome sequence of an Egyptian HAV isolate was characterized.
Conclusions:
- Wastewater serves as a reservoir for Hepatitis A virus in Egypt.
- The identification of a recombinant HAV strain highlights the role of recombination in HAV evolution, a rarely reported phenomenon.
- This study provides valuable data on circulating HAV strains and their evolution in Egypt.
