Open AccessIdentification of hepatitis B virus genotype A/E recombinants in Ghana
Author(s) -
Ceejay L Boyce,
Stephaney Willis,
Timothy Archampong,
Margaret Lartey,
Kwamena W.C. Sagoe,
Adjoa Obo-Akwa,
Ernest Kenu,
Awewura Kwara,
Jason T. Blackard
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
virus genes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.642
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1572-994X
pISSN - 0920-8569
DOI - 10.1007/s11262-019-01690-y
Subject(s) - biology , virology , recombinant dna , genotype , hepatitis b virus , medical microbiology , genome , virus , recombination , genetics , gene
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) exhibits a high degree of heterogeneity with at least 10 genotypes (A-J) identified to date. Intergenotypic recombination is relatively common. Previously, we investigated HBV drug resistance in HIV/HBV co-infected individuals in Ghana. After identifying multiple circulating genotypes and a novel D/E recombinant, we sought to determine if additional individuals were also infected with recombinant HBV. Partial genome sequences from three individuals were initially identified as genotype A4. Full-length HBV genomes were obtained using rolling circle amplification followed by PCR and shown to cluster with known A/E recombinant viruses. Similar recombination breakpoints were observed in these three individuals suggesting local spread of this novel recombinant HBV in Ghana.