PLoS ONE (Jan 2021)

Identification of two novel hepatitis C virus subtype 2 from Tunisia (2v and 2w).

  • Mouna Rajhi,
  • Sondes Haddad-Boubaker,
  • Anissa Chouikha,
  • Daniel Bourquain,
  • Janine Michel,
  • Walid Hammami,
  • Amel Sadraoui,
  • Hinda Touzi,
  • Kais Ghedira,
  • Henda Triki

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248249
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 3
p. e0248249

Abstract

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BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) has a high genetic diversity. Eight genotypes and 90 subtypes are currently described. Genotypes are clinically significant for therapeutic management and their determination is necessary for epidemiological studies.MethodsTunisian patients plasma samples (n = 6) with unassigned HCV-2 subtype using partial sequencing in the NS5B and Core/E1 regions were analyzed by realizing whole-genome sequencing analysis. Phylogenetic analyses were performed to assign subtypes.ResultsPhylogenetic analysis of the full genome sequences of Tunisian strains shows two subtypes within HCV-2. These later were genetically distinct from all previously established HCV-2 subtypes with nucleotide divergence greater than 15% (20% -31%). These two subtypes are proposed as new subtypes 2v and 2w.ConclusionsThe discovery of two new HCV-2 subtypes circulating in the Tunisian population confirms the great diversity of HCV-2 viruses and increases the total number of HCV-2 subtypes from 21 to 23.