Low Genetic Diversity of Hepatitis B Virus Surface Gene amongst Australian Blood Donors

Ngoc Minh Hien Phan; Helen M Faddy; Robert L Flower; Wayne J Dimech; Kirsten M Spann; Eileen V Roulis

doi:10.3390/v13071275

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Low Genetic Diversity of Hepatitis B Virus Surface Gene amongst Australian Blood Donors

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Low Genetic Diversity of Hepatitis B Virus Surface Gene amongst Australian Blood Donors

Ngoc Minh Hien Phan, Helen M Faddy, Robert L Flower, Wayne J Dimech, Kirsten M Spann and Eileen V Roulis

Viruses, Vol.13(7), pp.1-13

2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v13071275

PMID: 34208852

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Abstract

blood donor

genetic diversity

hepatitis B surface gene

hepatitis B virus

‘a’ determinant

Variants in the small surface gene of hepatitis B virus (HBV), which codes for viral surface antigen (HBsAg), can affect the efficacy of HBsAg screening assays and can be associated with occult HBV infection (OBI). This study aimed to characterise the molecular diversity of the HBV small surface gene from HBV-reactive Australian blood donors. HBV isolates from 16 HBsAg-positive Australian blood donors’ plasma were sequenced and genotyped by phylogenies of viral coding genes and/or whole genomes. An analysis of the genetic diversity of eight HBV small surface genes from our 16 samples was conducted and compared with HBV sequences from NCBI of 164 international (non-Australian) blood donors. Genotypes A–D were identified in our samples. The region of HBV small surface gene that contained the sequence encoding the ‘a’ determinant had a greater genetic diversity than the remaining part of the gene. No escape mutants or OBI-related variants were observed in our samples. Variant call analysis revealed two samples with a nucleotide deletion leading to truncation of polymerase and/or large/middle surface amino acid sequences. Overall, we found that HBV small surface gene sequences from Australian donors demonstrated a lower level of genetic diversity than those from non-Australian donor population included in the study.

Details

Title: Low Genetic Diversity of Hepatitis B Virus Surface Gene amongst Australian Blood Donors
Authors: Ngoc Minh Hien Phan (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Helen M Faddy (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Robert L Flower (Author) - Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
Wayne J Dimech (Author) - National Serology Reference Laboratory
Kirsten M Spann (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Eileen V Roulis (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Publication details: Viruses, Vol.13(7), pp.1-13
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date published: 2021
DOI: 10.3390/v13071275
ISSN: 1999-4915
PMID: 34208852
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Biomedicine; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99579108602621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Virology

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