@article{mbs:/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.80922-0, author = "Kurbanov, Fuat and Tanaka, Yasuhito and Fujiwara, Kei and Sugauchi, Fuminaka and Mbanya, Dora and Zekeng, Leopold and Ndembi, Nicaise and Ngansop, Charlotte and Kaptue, Lazare and Miura, Tomoyuki and Ido, Eiji and Hayami, Masanori and Ichimura, Hiroshi and Mizokami, Masashi", title = "A new subtype (subgenotype) Ac (A3) of hepatitis B virus and recombination between genotypes A and E in Cameroon", journal= "Journal of General Virology", year = "2005", volume = "86", number = "7", pages = "2047-2056", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.80922-0", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.80922-0", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1465-2099", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "Blood samples (n=544) from two different populations (Pygmies and Bantus) in Cameroon, West Africa, were analysed. Serological tests indicated that the anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in Bantus (20·3 %) was higher than that in Pygmies (2·3 %, P<0·0001), whereas the distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) serological markers was equally high in both populations: in total, 9·4, 17·3 and 86·8 % for HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc, respectively. HBV genotype A (HBV/A) and HBV/E were predominant (43·5 % each) in both populations, and HBV/D was found in a minority (13 %). The preS/S region was sequenced in nine cases (five HBV/A and four HBV/E) and the complete genome in six cases (four HBV/A and two HBV/E). Subsequent phylogenetic analysis revealed that the HBV/A strains were distinct from the subtypes (subgenotypes) described previously, Ae (A2) and Aa (A1), and in the preS/S region they clustered with previously reported sequences from Cameroon. Based on the nucleotide difference from Aa (A1) and Ae (A2), more than 4 % in the complete genome, the Cameroonian strains were suggested to represent a new subtype (subgenotype), designated HBV/Ac (A3). A high (3·9 %) nucleotide divergence in HBV/Ac (A3) strains suggested that the subtype (subgenotype) has a long natural history in the population of Cameroon. One of the HBV/Ac (A3) strains was found to be a recombinant with an HBV/E-specific sequence in the polymerase reverse transcriptase domain. Further cohort studies will be required to assess detailed epidemiological, virological and clinical characteristics of HBV/Ac (A3), as well as its recombinant form.", }