Isolation and characterization of two new hepatitis E virus genotype 1 strains from two mini-outbreaks in Lahore, Pakistan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pakistan is a highly endemic area for hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. The aim of the current study was to isolate and characterize strains of HEV in two mini outbreaks.

Results

RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed to cDNA. Nested PCR was done for the detection of HEV RNA. The positive bands were eluted, cloned in TA vector and sequenced in both directions using genetic Analyzer (Applied Biosystem Inc, USA). Phylogenetic analysis was done using MEGA4 software. We isolated two new HEV genotype-1 strains from Lahore, Pakistan, based on cloning and sequencing of ORF2 region.

Conclusions

Our study suggest that both the human HEV strains were closely related to the Sar-55 but different from the Abb-2B and 87-Pakistan-B HEV isolates sharing 88-91% sequence

SUBMITTER: Iqbal T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3056816 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature