Genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-co-infected patients from Venezuela

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-co-infected Venezuelan patients. The prevalence of HBV and HCV markers of infection in HIV-1 patients was 14 % for anti-hepatitis B core antigen, 3 % for hepatitis B surface antigen and 0.7 % for anti-HCV, respectively. HBV prevalence was higher than HCV, as expected for a country where sexual intercourse, not intravenous drug use, is the main mode of HIV-1 transmission. The HCV genotype distribution in HIV-1-co-infected patients was similar to that obtained in HCV-mono-infected patients, but genotype 1a was more frequent in HIV-1-infected patients. The HBV genotype distribution exhibited differences between mono-infected and HIV-1-co-infected individuals. HBV F3 was the most common subgenotype in both groups, followed by F1b in HIV-1 co-infection and F2 in HBV mono-infection. In addition, genotype G (single infection) was found in an HIV-1-coinfected individual. A high prevalence of occult HBV infection was detected in HIV-1-co-infected naïve patients (18 %), with F2 being the most common genotype (75 %). To the best of our knowledge, these results correspond to the first description of frequency and molecular characterization of HBV and HCV in HIV-1 Venezuelan patients.

Decreasing prevalence of Hepatitis B and absence of Hepatitis C Virus infection in the Warao indigenous population of Venezuela

“…As was previously mentioned, the health of Warao population is widely affected by HBV, as well as by HIV-1 [ 23 ], which shares the same transmission routes. The HBV exposure prevalence in HIV-1 positive patients found in this study (33%), particularly in the male population, was higher than the one reported in the urban population of Venezuela (14%) and Colombia (12%) [ 50 , 51 ].…”

High prevalence of HBV infection, detection of subgenotypes F1b, A2, and D4, and differential risk factors among Mexican risk populations with low socioeconomic status

“…However, in this study, subgenotype F1b was notably present in 57% of the native cases (NOaxaca and NMichoacan) showing a closely genetic relatedness with other Latin American F1b strains. Other than the F1b cluster recently reported in Italy, this subgenotype that is more common among the western South American countries of Argentina and Chile has also been found in natives of Colombia and in Venezuela . Despite that HBV genotype H is most predominant in native Mexicans, the F1b strains found in Oaxaca were isolated from descendants of the ancient Mesoamerican Mixtecos.…”

“…Other than the F1b cluster recently reported in Italy,42 this subgenotype that is more common among the western South American countries of Argentina and Chile 17,19,43 has also been found in natives of Colombia 15 and in Venezuela 44. Despite that HBV genotype H is most predominant in native Mexicans, the F1b strains found in Oaxaca were isolated from descendants of the ancient Mesoamerican Mixtecos.…”

HBV Genotypic Variability in Cuba

“…Genotype G is not frequent in Latin America. In Venezuela, for example, only one isolate genotype G has been described, infecting an HIV-infected patient [ 36 ]. None of these Cuban patients were co-infected with HIV.…”