Characterization of outbreak hepatitis a isolates in five Tunisian childcare centers

Abstract

In the present study, epidemiological survey and molecular characterization of hepatitis A virus during an outbreak in five Tunisian childcare centers in El-Mahres during October and November 2006 were carried out. Five well-water and five drinking water samples were included in the present study. Serological investigation and molecular characterization were carried out. All patients were IgM seropositive and the viral genome was detected in all clinical and well-water samples whereas it was not detected in drinking water from the five childcare centers. Sequence analysis showed that all Tunisian strains belong to subgenotype IA. The genetic profile of the VP1/2A junction showed that the outbreak isolates underwent an amino acid substitution which was absent in virus's strains detected previously in Tunisia. Further studies need to be conducted to evaluate the emergence of the virus's strains in clinical and water samples and more epidemiological data need to be collected about the risk factors which may contribute to acute hepatitis.

Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Hepatitis A Virus in Wastewaters in Tunisia

“…The most prevalent strain was present in 42 % of the samples, followed by other strains found in 18, 10, 9, 8, and 6 %, respectively. Overall, these six variants account for 93 sequences having 100 % identity with clinical strains isolated from patients with acute hepatitis between 2001(Gharbi-Khelifi et al 2006Gharbi-Khelifi et al 2007b;Gharbi-Khelifi et al 2011). We also detected five unique sequences not previously reported in clinical cases, showing 97-99 % identity with Tunisian clinical strains available in GenBank.…”

“…2. The tree includes a number of representative GenBank IA strains detected in clinical samples in Tunisia from 2001to 2006(Gharbi-Khelifi et al 2006GharbiKhelifi et al 2007b;Gharbi-Khelifi et al 2011), and one IB strain detected in 1981, indicated as accession number followed by strain name. We also included sequences corresponding to strains isolated in the course of a recent clinical study, from the sera of Tunisian patients with acute hepatitis between 2008 and 2013 (Beji et al, manuscript submitted, sequences not yet published in GenBank), indicated as ID number followed by the city and year of collection.…”

“…Recent studies suggest that the epidemiology of HAV in Tunisia may be changing from a high to an intermediate pattern of endemicity (Letaief et al 2005;Rezig et al 2008). Outbreaks have been described in Tunisia (Gharbi-Khelifi et al 2011), with the vast majority of identified isolates clustering within sub-genotype IA.…”

Characterisation of the environmental presence of hepatitis A virus in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Guerrero et al, 43 2011, Khelifi et al, 39 2006, Phanuwan et al, 51 2006, O'Brien et al, 29 2017, Khelifi et al, 35 2011, Bai et al, 54 2019, Ahmad et al, 45 2016, Ahmad et al, 46 2015, Ahmad et al, 44 2018, Adefisoye et al, 27 2015, Chigor et al, 20 2012, Ouardani et al, 34 2015.…”