Phylogenetic Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus Infections in a Large Belgian Cohort Using Next-Generation Sequencing of Full-Length Genomes.

ABSTRACT: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic in Western countries is primarily perpetuated by the sub-populations of men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID). Understanding the dynamics of transmission in these communities is crucial for removing the remaining hurdles towards HCV elimination. We sequenced 269 annotated HCV plasma samples using probe enrichment and next-generation sequencing, obtaining 224 open reading frames of HCV (OR497849-OR498072). Maximum likelihood phylogenies were generated on the four most prevalent subtypes in this study (HCV1a, 1b, 3a, 4d) with a subsequent transmission cluster analysis. The highest rate of clustering was observed for HCV4d samples (13/17 (76.47%)). The second highest rate of clustering was observed in HCV1a samples (42/78 (53.8

SUBMITTER: Christensen KT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10747466 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature