Patterns of mutation within an emerging endemic lineage of HEV-3a

Abstract

The hepatitis E virus can cause chronic infections in immuno-suppressed patients, and cases have been on the rise globally. Viral mutations during such infections are difficult to characterize. We deep-sequenced viral populations from 15 immunocompromised patients with chronic HEV to identify the viral lineage and describe viral mutational hotspots within and across patients. A total of 21 viral RNA samples were collected between 2012 and 2017 from a single hospital in Singapore. Sequences covering a total of 3894 bp of the HEV genome were obtained. Phylogenetic analyses identified all sequences as belonging to the HEV-3a sub-clade and clearly indicate a unique local lineage. Deep sequencing reveals variable viral population complexity during infections. Comparisons of viral samples from the same patients spaced 2-19 months apart revealed rapid nucleotide replacements in the dominant viral sequence in both ribavirin treated and treatment-naive patients. Mutational hotspots were identified within ORF3 and the PCP/HVR domain of ORF1.

Keywords: chronic hepatitis E; liver disease; viral infection; viral mutation; zoonosis.