Genotype Distribution and Prevalence of Human Pegivirus among High-Risk Populations in Tunisia

Imen Ben Dhifallah (1) , Kaouther Ayouni (1) , Anissa Chouiha (1) , Amel Sadraoui (1) , Nahed Hogga (1) , Walid Hammami (1) , Ahlem Ben Yahya (1) , Henda Triki (1)

1 Laboratoire de Virologie Clinique, Référence Régional OMS pour la Poliomyélite et la Rougeole - Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles

Objective: A recently discovered non-A-E hepatitis virus has been designated as human Pegivirus (HPgV). HPgV is prevalent in high-risk groups such as patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), and it is of interest for patients who are at risk for transmitted infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HPgV as well as the genotype distribution among patients in the Tunisian population who are infected with HCV and also in multitransfused patients. Methods: A total of 144 patients were screened using RTPCR/nested PCR of the 5′-untranslated region (UTR); 14 cases were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. Results: Seven (14.9%) subjects from the multitransfused group and 7 (7.2%) patients infected with HCV, respectively, were found positive for HPgV RNA. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the 14 cases revealed that genotype 2a was the main genotype circulating in Tunisian patients. Genotype 2b was found in the amplified samples of 2 HCV-infected patients. Conclusion: This study enriches the limited data on HPgV prevalence in Tunisia, and shows, for the first time, the molecular epidemiology of the circulating strains in this country.

Keywords: PrevalenceHuman; PegivirusRT/nested; PCRPhylogenetic analysis

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Microbiology and Parasitology

Imen Ben Dhifallah, Kaouther Ayouni, Anissa Chouiha, Amel Sadraoui, Nahed Hogga, et al.. Genotype Distribution and Prevalence of Human Pegivirus among High-Risk Populations in Tunisia. Intervirology, 2017, 59 (3), pp.170-178. ⟨10.1159/000454810⟩. ⟨pasteur-02011794⟩