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Rossi LMG, Escobar-Gutierrez A, Rahal P. Advanced molecular surveillance of hepatitis C virus. Viruses 2015; 7:1153-88. [PMID: 25781918 PMCID: PMC4379565 DOI: 10.3390/v7031153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important public health problem worldwide. HCV exploits complex molecular mechanisms, which result in a high degree of intrahost genetic heterogeneity. This high degree of variability represents a challenge for the accurate establishment of genetic relatedness between cases and complicates the identification of sources of infection. Tracking HCV infections is crucial for the elucidation of routes of transmission in a variety of settings. Therefore, implementation of HCV advanced molecular surveillance (AMS) is essential for disease control. Accounting for virulence is also important for HCV AMS and both viral and host factors contribute to the disease outcome. Therefore, HCV AMS requires the incorporation of host factors as an integral component of the algorithms used to monitor disease occurrence. Importantly, implementation of comprehensive global databases and data mining are also needed for the proper study of the mechanisms responsible for HCV transmission. Here, we review molecular aspects associated with HCV transmission, as well as the most recent technological advances used for virus and host characterization. Additionally, the cornerstone discoveries that have defined the pathway for viral characterization are presented and the importance of implementing advanced HCV molecular surveillance is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Maria Gonçalves Rossi
- Department of Biology, Institute of Bioscience, Language and Exact Science, Sao Paulo State University, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil.
| | | | - Paula Rahal
- Department of Biology, Institute of Bioscience, Language and Exact Science, Sao Paulo State University, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil.
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Hussein N, Zekri ARN, Abouelhoda M, Alam El-Din HM, Ghamry AA, Amer MA, Sherif GM, Bahnassy AA. New insight into HCV E1/E2 region of genotype 4a. Virol J 2014; 11:231. [PMID: 25547228 PMCID: PMC4304183 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-014-0231-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome contains two envelope proteins (E1 and E2) responsible for the virus entry into the cell. There is a substantial lack of sequences covering the full length of E1/E2 region for genotype 4. Our study aims at providing new sequences as well as characterizing the genetic divergence of the E1/E2 region of HCV 4a using our new sequences along with all publicly available datasets. Methods The genomic segments covering the whole E1/E2 region were isolated from Egyptian HCV patients and sequenced. The resulting 36 sequences 36 were analyzed using sequence analysis techniques to study variability within and among hosts in the same time point. Furthermore, previously published HCV E1/E2 sequence datasets for genotype 4a were retrieved and categorized according to the geographical location and date of isolation and were used for further analysis of variability among Egyptian over a period of 15 years, also compared with non-Egyptian sequences to figure out region-specific variability. Results Phylogenetic analysis of the new sequences has shown variability within the host and among different individuals in the same time point. Analysis of the 36 sequences along with the Egyptian sequences (254 sequences in E1 in the period from 1997 to 2010 and 8 E2 sequences in the period from 2006 to 2010) has shown temporal change over time. Analysis of the new HCV sequences with the non-Egyptian sequences (182 sequences in E1 and 155 sequences in the E2) has shown region specific variability. The molecular clock rate of E1 was estimated to be 5E-3 per site per year for Egyptian and 5.38E-3 for non-Egyptian. The clock rate of E2 was estimated to be 8.48E per site per year for Egyptian and 6.3E-3 for non-Egyptian. Conclusion The results of this study support the high rate of evolution of the Egyptian HCV genotype 4a. It has also revealed significant level of genetic variability among sequences from different regions in the world. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12985-014-0231-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nehal Hussein
- Virology and Immunology Unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Fom El-Khalig, Cairo, 11796, Egypt.
| | - Abdel-Rahman N Zekri
- Virology and Immunology Unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Fom El-Khalig, Cairo, 11796, Egypt.
| | - Mohamed Abouelhoda
- Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. .,Center for Informatics Sciences, Nile University, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Hanaa M Alam El-Din
- Virology and Immunology Unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Fom El-Khalig, Cairo, 11796, Egypt.
| | | | - Mahmoud A Amer
- Faculty of Science, Zoology Department, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Ghada M Sherif
- Biostatistic & Epidemiology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Abeer A Bahnassy
- Pathology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
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Preciado MV, Valva P, Escobar-Gutierrez A, Rahal P, Ruiz-Tovar K, Yamasaki L, Vazquez-Chacon C, Martinez-Guarneros A, Carpio-Pedroza JC, Fonseca-Coronado S, Cruz-Rivera M. Hepatitis C virus molecular evolution: Transmission, disease progression and antiviral therapy. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20:15992-16013. [PMID: 25473152 PMCID: PMC4239486 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i43.15992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Revised: 06/22/2014] [Accepted: 08/28/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents an important public health problem worldwide. Reduction of HCV morbidity and mortality is a current challenge owned to several viral and host factors. Virus molecular evolution plays an important role in HCV transmission, disease progression and therapy outcome. The high degree of genetic heterogeneity characteristic of HCV is a key element for the rapid adaptation of the intrahost viral population to different selection pressures (e.g., host immune responses and antiviral therapy). HCV molecular evolution is shaped by different mechanisms including a high mutation rate, genetic bottlenecks, genetic drift, recombination, temporal variations and compartmentalization. These evolutionary processes constantly rearrange the composition of the HCV intrahost population in a staging manner. Remarkable advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanism controlling HCV replication have facilitated the development of a plethora of direct-acting antiviral agents against HCV. As a result, superior sustained viral responses have been attained. The rapidly evolving field of anti-HCV therapy is expected to broad its landscape even further with newer, more potent antivirals, bringing us one step closer to the interferon-free era.
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Vandamme AM, Pybus OG. Viral phylogeny in court: the unusual case of the Valencian anesthetist. BMC Biol 2013; 11:83. [PMID: 24059471 PMCID: PMC3717106 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-11-83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A large and complex outbreak of hepatitis C virus in Valencia, Spain that began 25 years ago led to the prosecution and conviction of an anesthetist who was accused of infecting hundreds of his patients. Evolutionary analyses of viral gene sequences were presented as evidence in the trial, and these are now described in detail by González-Candelas and colleagues in a paper published in BMC Biology. Their study illustrates the challenges and opportunities that arise from the use of phylogenetic inference in criminal trials concerning virus transmission. See research article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/11/76
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Mieke Vandamme
- Laboratory for Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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González-Candelas F, Bracho MA, Wróbel B, Moya A. Molecular evolution in court: analysis of a large hepatitis C virus outbreak from an evolving source. BMC Biol 2013; 11:76. [PMID: 23870105 PMCID: PMC3717074 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-11-76] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2012] [Accepted: 05/24/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Molecular phylogenetic analyses are used increasingly in the epidemiological investigation of outbreaks and transmission cases involving rapidly evolving RNA viruses. Here, we present the results of such an analysis that contributed to the conviction of an anesthetist as being responsible for the infection of 275 of his patients with hepatitis C virus. RESULTS We obtained sequences of the NS5B and E1-E2 regions in the viral genome for 322 patients suspected to have been infected by the doctor, and for 44 local, unrelated controls. The analysis of 4,184 cloned sequences of the E1-E2 region allowed us to exclude 47 patients from the outbreak. A subset of patients had known dates of infection. We used these data to calibrate a relaxed molecular clock and to determine a rough estimate of the time of infection for each patient. A similar analysis led to an estimate for the time of infection of the source. The date turned out to be 10 years before the detection of the outbreak. The number of patients infected was small at first, but it increased substantially in the months before the detection of the outbreak. CONCLUSIONS We have developed a procedure to integrate molecular phylogenetic reconstructions of rapidly evolving viral populations into a forensic setting adequate for molecular epidemiological analysis of outbreaks and transmission events. We applied this procedure to a large outbreak of hepatitis C virus caused by a single source and the results obtained played a key role in the trial that led to the conviction of the suspected source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando González-Candelas
- Joint Research Unit ‘Genómica y Salud’ CSISP (FISABIO), Instituto Cavanilles/Universidad de Valencia, c/ Catedrático José Beltrán, 2 46980-Paterna, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Valencia, Spain
| | - María Alma Bracho
- Joint Research Unit ‘Genómica y Salud’ CSISP (FISABIO), Instituto Cavanilles/Universidad de Valencia, c/ Catedrático José Beltrán, 2 46980-Paterna, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Valencia, Spain
| | - Borys Wróbel
- Joint Research Unit ‘Genómica y Salud’ CSISP (FISABIO), Instituto Cavanilles/Universidad de Valencia, c/ Catedrático José Beltrán, 2 46980-Paterna, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Genetics and Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Andrés Moya
- Joint Research Unit ‘Genómica y Salud’ CSISP (FISABIO), Instituto Cavanilles/Universidad de Valencia, c/ Catedrático José Beltrán, 2 46980-Paterna, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Valencia, Spain
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Holmberg SD. Molecular epidemiology of health care-associated transmission of hepatitis B and C viruses. Clin Liver Dis 2010; 14:37-48; vii-viii. [PMID: 20123438 DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2009.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The term "molecular epidemiology" has been ascribed to a host of different activities that involve gene-sequence analysis. Some examples of molecular epidemiology include modeling exercises of phylogenetic trees to reconstruct epidemics; studies of the evolution of hepatitis C virus (HCV); rates of nucleotide substitution in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface (S) gene; variations in the core promoter/pre-core/core region of HBV genotype C from different sources; analysis of HBV surface antigen mutations; molecular clock analyses of the short-term evolution of HCV; and analyses of clades and surface antigen polymorphisms of HBV. However, for most epidemiologists molecular epidemiology of viral hepatitis usually refers to studies of gene-sequence homology in HBV or HCV recovered from people in the community or an institution that allows better characterization and assignment of related clusters of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott D Holmberg
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, TB, and STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Mailstop G-37; 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Abstract
Many organisms that cause infectious diseases, particularly RNA viruses, mutate so rapidly that their evolutionary and ecological behaviours are inextricably linked. Consequently, aspects of the transmission and epidemiology of these pathogens are imprinted on the genetic diversity of their genomes. Large-scale empirical analyses of the evolutionary dynamics of important pathogens are now feasible owing to the increasing availability of pathogen sequence data and the development of new computational and statistical methods of analysis. In this Review, we outline the questions that can be answered using viral evolutionary analysis across a wide range of biological scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver G. Pybus
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX1 3PS Oxford UK
| | - Andrew Rambaut
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, Ashworth Laboratories, West Mains Road, EH9 3JT Edinburgh UK
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Bracho MA, Saludes V, Martró E, Bargalló A, González-Candelas F, Ausina V. Complete genome of a European hepatitis C virus subtype 1g isolate: phylogenetic and genetic analyses. Virol J 2008; 5:72. [PMID: 18533988 PMCID: PMC2438343 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-5-72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2008] [Accepted: 06/05/2008] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus isolates have been classified into six main genotypes and a variable number of subtypes within each genotype, mainly based on phylogenetic analysis. Analyses of the genetic relationship among genotypes and subtypes are more reliable when complete genome sequences (or at least the full coding region) are used; however, so far 31 of 80 confirmed or proposed subtypes have at least one complete genome available. Of these, 20 correspond to confirmed subtypes of epidemic interest. RESULTS We present and analyse the first complete genome sequence of a HCV subtype 1g isolate. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses reveal that HCV-1g is the most divergent subtype among the HCV-1 confirmed subtypes. Potential genomic recombination events between genotypes or subtype 1 genomes were ruled out. We demonstrate phylogenetic congruence of previously deposited partial sequences of HCV-1g with respect to our sequence. CONCLUSION In light of this, we propose changing the current status of its subtype-specific designation from provisional to confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Bracho
- Institut "Cavanilles" de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, Paterna (València), Spain
- CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Verónica Saludes
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Elisa Martró
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Ana Bargalló
- Servei d'Aparell Digestiu, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando González-Candelas
- Institut "Cavanilles" de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, Paterna (València), Spain
- CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Vicent Ausina
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER en Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Spain
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Wróbel B. Statistical measures of uncertainty for branches in phylogenetic trees inferred from molecular sequences by using model-based methods. J Appl Genet 2008; 49:49-67. [DOI: 10.1007/bf03195249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Shemer-Avni Y, Cohen M, Keren-Naus A, Sikuler E, Hanuka N, Yaari A, Hayam E, Bachmatov L, Zemel R, Tur-Kaspa R. Iatrogenic transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) by an anesthesiologist: comparative molecular analysis of the HCV-E1 and HCV-E2 hypervariable regions. Clin Infect Dis 2007; 45:e32-8. [PMID: 17638183 DOI: 10.1086/520014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2006] [Accepted: 04/05/2007] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) from infected health care workers to patients rarely occurs. In 2003, a cluster of patients with HCV infection was identified at a medical center in Israel. All patients had a common history of various surgical procedures performed during the period 2001-2003. All patients had been anesthetized by an anesthesiologist who was an injection drug user and was infected with genotype 2a HCV. Screening was initiated by the hospital to identify newly infected patients with HCV infection and to determine the source of the iatrogenic HCV infection outbreak using comparative molecular analysis of the HCV E1 and HCV E2 hypervariable regions (HVR1 and HVR2). METHODS A total of 1200 patients who were anesthetized by the anesthesiologist (the related group) and 873 hospital personnel and patients anesthetized by other anesthetists (the unrelated group) were examined. Serum samples were screened for anti-HCV antibodies, HCV RNA, and genotype. Sequence analysis of HVR1 and HVR2 was performed after reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS HCV type 2a was found in 33 patients in the related group but in only 1 patient in the unrelated group. The differences between the sequences isolated from the related group serum samples and the sequences isolated from genotype 2a control group serum samples (obtained from 15 patients) were highly statistically significant. The genetic distances from the anesthesiologist sequence were 1.4%-4.4% in the HVR1 and 0%-3% in the HVR2 in the related group serum samples, whereas in the HCV genotype 2a control group serum samples, the genetic distances were 22%-45% and 10%-35%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Molecular analysis revealed sequence similarity of HVR1 and HVR2 in the related group, suggesting that the anesthesiologist with chronic HCV infection may have transmitted HCV to 33 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonat Shemer-Avni
- Clinical Virology Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel.
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