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Molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype E in an Afro-Colombian isolated community

¹ Instituto de Medicina Tropical - FMUSP;
² Laboratory of Virology, Pontificia Javeriana University

³ E-mail: monica.viviana{at}usp.br

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant public health concern with 350 millions chronic carriers worldwide. Eight HBV genotypes (A-H) have been described so far. Genotype E (HBV/E) is largely distributed in West Africa, and has rarely been found in other continents, except for few cases in individuals with African background. In this study we characterized HBV genotypes in Quibdó, Colombia by partial S/P genes sequencing, and found for the first time HBV/E circulating in 9 Afro-descendent Colombian patients, which had no recent contact with Africa. The HBV/E presence in this community as a monophyletic group suggests that it was a result of a recent introduction by some Afro-descendant contact or, alternatively, the virus came with slaves brought to Colombia . By using sequences with sampling date we estimated the substitution rate about 3.2 x 10-4 s/s/y, which resulted in a time of the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of 29 years. In parallel we also estimated the TMRCA for HBV/E by using two previously estimated substitution rates (7.7 x 10-4 and 1.5 x 10-5 s/s/y). The TMRCA was around 35 years under the higher rate, and 1500 years under the slower rate. In sum, this work reported for the first time the presence of an exclusively African HBV genotype circulating in South America. We also discuss about the time of the entry of this virus in America based on different substitution rates estimated for HBV.

Received 18 August 2009; accepted 15 October 2009.