biostudies-literatureUnknown9(3)Lago BVHepatitis B virus genotype E (HBV/E) is highly prevalent in Western Africa. In this work, 30 HBV/E isolates from HBsAg positive Angolans (staff and visitors of a private hospital in Luanda) were genetically characterized: 16 of them were completely sequenced and the pre-S/S sequences of the remaining 14 were determined. A high proportion (12/30, 40%) of subjects tested positive for both HBsAg and anti-HBs markers. Deduced amino acid sequences revealed the existence of specific substitutions and deletions in the B- and T-cell epitopes of the surface antigen (pre-S1- and pre-S2 regions) of the virus isolates derived from 8/12 individuals with concurrent HBsAg/anti-HBs. Phylogenetic analysis performed with 231 HBV/E full-length sequences, including 16 from this study, showed that all isolatesPloS onee92223https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3954871biostudies-literatureAnalysis of complete nucleotide sequences of Angolan hepatitis B virus isolates reveals the existence of a separate lineage within genotype E.PMC3954871Gomes SANiel CRibas FSMello FCLago BVSoares CCValente FfalseAnalysis of complete nucleotide sequences of Angolan hepatitis B virus isolates reveals the existence of a separate lineage within genotype E.Hepatitis B virus genotype E (HBV/E) is highly prevalent in Western Africa. In this work, 30 HBV/E isolates from HBsAg positive Angolans (staff and visitors of a private hospital in Luanda) were genetically characterized: 16 of them were completely sequenced and the pre-S/S sequences of the remaining 14 were determined. A high proportion (12/30, 40%) of subjects tested positive for both HBsAg and anti-HBs markers. Deduced amino acid sequences revealed the existence of specific substitutions and deletions in the B- and T-cell epitopes of the surface antigen (pre-S1- and pre-S2 regions) of the virus isolates derived from 8/12 individuals with concurrent HBsAg/anti-HBs. Phylogenetic analysis performed with 231 HBV/E full-length sequences, including 16 from this study, showed that all isolates2014-01-01T00:00:00Z20142026-04-12T23:22:03.102Z2019-03-26T23:24:10ZS-EPMC39548712463278410.1371/journal.pone.0092223