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Christensen KT, Pierard F, Bonsall D, Bowden R, Barnes E, Florence E, Ansari MA, Nguyen D, de Cesare M, Nevens F, Robaeys G, Schrooten Y, Busschots D, Simmonds P, Vandamme AM, Van Wijngaerden E, Dierckx T, Cuypers L, Van Laethem K. Phylogenetic Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus Infections in a Large Belgian Cohort Using Next-Generation Sequencing of Full-Length Genomes. Viruses 2023; 15:2391. [PMID: 38140632 PMCID: PMC10747466 DOI: 10.3390/v15122391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic in Western countries is primarily perpetuated by the sub-populations of men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID). Understanding the dynamics of transmission in these communities is crucial for removing the remaining hurdles towards HCV elimination. We sequenced 269 annotated HCV plasma samples using probe enrichment and next-generation sequencing, obtaining 224 open reading frames of HCV (OR497849-OR498072). Maximum likelihood phylogenies were generated on the four most prevalent subtypes in this study (HCV1a, 1b, 3a, 4d) with a subsequent transmission cluster analysis. The highest rate of clustering was observed for HCV4d samples (13/17 (76.47%)). The second highest rate of clustering was observed in HCV1a samples (42/78 (53.85%)) with significant association with HIV-positive MSM. HCV1b and HCV3a had very low rates of clustering (2/83 (2.41%) and (0/29)). The spread of the prevalent subtype HCV1b appears to have been largely curtailed, and we demonstrate the onwards transmission of HCV1a and HCV4d in the HIV-positive MSM population across municipal borders. More systematic data collection and sequencing is needed to allow a better understanding of the HCV transmission among the community of PWID and overcome the remaining barriers for HCV elimination in Belgium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasper T. Christensen
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
| | - Florian Pierard
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
| | - David Bonsall
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK;
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.B.); (D.N.); (M.d.C.)
| | - Rory Bowden
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.B.); (D.N.); (M.d.C.)
| | - Eleanor Barnes
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK;
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Eric Florence
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, Belgium;
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - M. Azim Ansari
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK;
| | - Dung Nguyen
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.B.); (D.N.); (M.d.C.)
| | - Mariateresa de Cesare
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK; (R.B.); (D.N.); (M.d.C.)
| | - Frederik Nevens
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.N.); (G.R.)
| | - Geert Robaeys
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.N.); (G.R.)
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences—LCRC, UHasselt, Agoralaan, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium;
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, 3600 Genk, Belgium
| | - Yoeri Schrooten
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dana Busschots
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences—LCRC, UHasselt, Agoralaan, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium;
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, 3600 Genk, Belgium
| | - Peter Simmonds
- Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK;
| | - Anne-Mieke Vandamme
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eric Van Wijngaerden
- Department of General Internal Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Tim Dierckx
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
| | - Lize Cuypers
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kristel Van Laethem
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (F.P.); (Y.S.); (A.-M.V.); (T.D.); (L.C.); (K.V.L.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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