Phylogenetic analysis of a circulating hepatitis C virus recombinant strain 1b/1a isolated in a French hospital centre

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution genetics and evolution, 2016-06, Vol.40, p.374-380
• Main Authors: Morel, Virginie, Ghoubra, Faten, Izquierdo, Laure, Martin, Elodie, Oliveira, Catarina, François, Catherine, Brochot, Etienne, Helle, François, Duverlie, Gilles, Castelain, Sandrine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 5' Untranslated Regions; Base Sequence; Computational Biology - methods; Cross Infection; Databases, Nucleic Acid; Female; France - epidemiology; Genome, Viral; Genotype; HCV; Hepacivirus - classification; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepacivirus - isolation & purification; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - transmission; Hepatitis C - virology; Humans; Life Sciences; Male; Molecular Epidemiology; Phylogenetic analysis; Phylogeny; Recombinant strain; Recombination, Genetic; RNA, Viral; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Viral Nonstructural Proteins - genetics
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.09.030

Genetic recombination is now a well-established feature of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) variability and evolution, with the recent identification of circulating recombinant forms. In Amiens University Hospital Centre (France), a discrepancy of genotyping results was observed for 9 samples, between their 5′ untranslated region assigned to genotype 1b and their NS5B region assigned to genotype 1a, suggesting the existence of a recombinant strain. In the present study, clinical and phylogenetic analyses of these isolates were conducted and a putative relationship with previously identified HCV 1b/1a recombinants was investigated. The results revealed that all 9 strains displayed a breakpoint within the beginning of the core protein, were closely related between each other and with the H23 strain identified in Uruguay (Moreno et al., 2009). Then, the clinical characteristics of the 9 unlinked individuals infected with this 1b/1a genotype were analysed. This is the first report on the circulation, in a French population, of a HCV recombinant strain 1b/1a. The identification of this genotype in other patients and in other geographical zones would allow to further investigate its prevalence in the population and to better understand its molecular epidemiology. •We identified and analysed a hepatitis C virus 1b/1a recombinant strain.•This is the first report of its circulation in France.•This recombinant is related to the previously identified H23 strain.•The recombination junction is located within the beginning of the core protein.