Detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype E carried--even in the presence of high titers of anti-HBs antibodies--by an Argentinean patient of African descent who had received vaccination against HBV

Abstract

Genotype E hepatitis B virus (HBV) was detected in two Argentine sisters exhibiting an African mitochondrial lineage. One of them (who had been vaccinated against HBV) exhibited anti-HBs cocirculating antibodies without HBsAg escape mutants, while her unvaccinated sister showed a D144A HBsAg escape mutant without anti-HBs antibodies. Both sisters carried an unusual L209V substitution within HBsAg.

FIG. 1.

Phylogenetic analysis of HBV S-gene sequences. A 541-bp fragment (encompassing nucleotide positions 256 to 796) was analyzed from the isolates from patients S2 and S1, as well as from 29 sequences ascribed to the eight HBV genotypes deposited in GenBank. The GenBank accession numbers are as follows: for genotype A, A1, M57663; A2, V00866; for genotype B, B1, D23677; B2, D23678; for genotype C, C1, D00630; C2, D12980; for genotype D, D1, X65259; D2, X65257; for genotype E, E1, X75664; E2, X75657; E3, AJ604959; E4, AJ604939; E5, AB091256; E6, AB091255; E7, AY738918; E8, AY738919; E9, AY738920; E10, AY738921; E11, AY738922; E12, AY738923; E13, AY738924; E14, L24071; E15, L29017; for genotype F, F1, X75663; F2, X75658; for genotype G, G1, AB056514; G2, AB056515; for genotype H, H1, AY090460; H2, AB191363. Bootstrap values for the main branches are shown. Bar, number of nucleotide substitutions per site.

FIG. 2.

Phylogenetic analysis of the S genes of HBV isolates ascribed to genotype E. The same region used to create the phylogenetic tree depicted in Fig. 1 was analyzed from the isolates from patients S2 and S1, as well as from 39 sequences ascribed to genotype E deposited in GenBank. The GenBank accession numbers are as follows: E1 to E15, the sequences correspond to the same accession numbers provided in the legend to Fig. 1; E16, AB091257; E17, AB091262; E18, AB091266; E19, AB091258, E20, AB091260; E21, AB091259; E22, AB091264; E23, AF323631; E24, AF323617; E25, AF323619, E26, AF323629; E27, AF323636; E28, AF323633; E29, AF323618; E30, AF323625; E31, AF323620; E32, AF323623; E33, AF323632; E34, AF323630; E35, AF323628; E36, AF323624; E37, AF323622; E38, AB032431; E39, AF323635. The bootstrap value is indicated for the branch corresponding to the isolates from patients S2 and S1. Bar, number of nucleotide substitutions per site.