Ten millennia of hepatitis B virus evolution

Area of Science:

• Paleovirology
• Ancient Genomics
• Human Migration Studies

Background:

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant global health concern, yet its evolutionary history and ancient dispersal patterns remain poorly understood.
• Understanding HBV's past diversity is crucial for comprehending its long-term impact on human populations and public health.
• Genomic data from ancient human remains offers a unique window into the historical epidemiology of infectious diseases like HBV.

Observation:

• Genomic sequences of HBV were analyzed from 137 ancient Eurasians and Native Americans, with samples dating from approximately 10,500 to 400 years ago.
• The study identified the most recent common ancestor of all HBV lineages between 20,000 and 12,000 years ago.
• HBV was detected in early Holocene European and South American hunter-gatherer populations.

Findings:

• Following the European Neolithic transition, HBV strains carried by hunter-gatherers were supplanted by a lineage associated with early agriculturalists.
• This farmer-disseminated HBV lineage dominated western Eurasia for approximately 4,000 years, declining around the end of the 2nd millennium BCE.
• The rare HBV genotype G is identified as a potential surviving remnant of this ancient diversity, possibly re-emerging during the HIV pandemic.

Implications:

• This research reconstructs the deep evolutionary history and migration dynamics of Hepatitis B virus in ancient human populations.
• It highlights the significant role of human demographic shifts, such as the Neolithic transition and farmer expansions, in shaping viral evolution and spread.
• The findings provide critical insights into the long-term persistence and potential resurgence of HBV, informing future public health strategies and research into viral evolution.