Ongoing transmission of hepatitis B virus in rural parts of the Netherlands, 2009-2013.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Reported acute hepatitis B incidence in the Netherlands reached its nadir in 2013. However, regional signals about increased number of hepatitis B cases raised the question how hepatitis B incidence was distributed over the country. In this study, regional differences in hepatitis B epidemiology were investigated using epidemiological and molecular data.

Methods

Acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, reported between 2009-2013, were included. If serum was available, a fragment of S and C gene of the HBV was amplified and sequenced. Regional differences in incidence were studied by geographical mapping of cases and cluster analysis. Regional differences in transmission were studied by constructing regional maximum parsimony trees based on the C gene to assess ge

SUBMITTER: Soetens LC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4338044 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature