Full‐genome characterization of the RIVM‐HAV16‐090‐like hepatitis A virus strains recovered from Japanese men who have sex with men, with sporadic acute hepatitis A

ObjectivesSince February 2017, an increase of acute hepatitis A (AHA) cases has been notified in North of France. We aimed to report clinical and virological features of 49 cases treated in three hospitals in Lille European Metropolis (LEM).MethodsAll adult patients treated for AHA in 3 LEM hospitals between 20 February and 5 July 2017 were included. Demographic characteristics, exposure risk factors to hepatitis A virus (HAV), AHA manifestations and concomitant sexually transmitted infections (STI) were retrospectively recorded.ResultsForty-nine cases of AHA were diagnosed among which 34 (69%) were hospitalised. Severe AHA occurred in 7 (14%) patients. The median age of cases was 36 years. All cases except 1 were men and 32 (65%) were identified as men having sex with men (MSM). Eleven (23%) patients were HIV-infected, 5 were under HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), 6 had a history of HIV postexposure prophylaxis and 19 had a history of at least one STI. Only three patients had received HAV vaccine. Proportion of patients tested for syphilis, chlamydial and gonococcal infections was 75% (18/24) in those seen by sexual health specialists and 21% (6/29) in those seen by other specialists. At least one concomitant STI was diagnosed in 13 out of 24 tested patients (54%). RT-PCR sequencing was available for 38 cases and confirmed co-circulation of 3 different strains of subgenotype IA (VRD 521 2016: n=24, RIVM-HAV16-090: n=13, V16-25801: n=1), already identified in several European countries.ConclusionsWe are facing an outbreak of AHA among MSM in the North of France with a high rate of hospitalisation. Analysis of cases highlighted missed opportunities of vaccination and lack of concomitant STI screening. Awareness among healthcare providers and MSM should be increased and HAV vaccination promoted.

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Molecular analysis of hepatitis A virus strains obtained from patients with acute hepatitis A in Mongolia, 2004-2013

Journal of Medical Virology ◽

10.1002/jmv.24380 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 88 (4) ◽

pp. 622-630 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bira Tsatsralt-Od ◽

Nachin Baasanjav ◽

Dulmaa Nyamkhuu ◽

Hiroshi Ohnishi ◽

Masaharu Takahashi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Hepatitis ◽

Molecular Analysis ◽

Hepatitis A ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

Acute Hepatitis A ◽

Virus Strains

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Full genome characterization of porcine circovirus type 3 isolates reveals the existence of two distinct groups of virus strains

Virology Journal ◽

10.1186/s12985-018-0929-3 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Robert Fux ◽

Christina Söckler ◽

Ellen Kathrin Link ◽

Christine Renken ◽

Roman Krejci ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Porcine Circovirus Type ◽

Porcine Circovirus ◽

Full Genome ◽

Genome Characterization ◽

Type 3 ◽

Virus Strains

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Near-full genome characterization of unclassified hepatitis c virus strains relating to genotypes 1 and 4

Journal of Medical Virology ◽

10.1002/jmv.22237 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 83 (12) ◽

pp. 2119-2127 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Victoria L. Demetriou ◽

Leondios G. Kostrikis

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Full Genome ◽

Genome Characterization ◽

Virus Strains

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Full genome characterization of hepatitis B virus strains from blood donors in Iran

Journal of Medical Virology ◽

10.1002/jmv.21772 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 83 (6) ◽

pp. 948-952 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Penelope Garmiri ◽

Houri Rezvan ◽

Hassan Abolghasemi ◽

Jean-Pierre Allain

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Blood Donors ◽

Full Genome ◽

Genome Characterization ◽

B Virus ◽

Virus Strains

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Hepatitis A Virus Strains Circulating in the Campania Region (2015–2018) Assessed through Bivalve Biomonitoring and Environmental Surveillance

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13010016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 16

Author(s):

Giuseppina La Rosa ◽

Pamela Mancini ◽

Giusy Bonanno Ferraro ◽

Marcello Iaconelli ◽

Carolina Veneri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis A ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

Warning System ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Campania Region ◽

Prevalent Strain ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Bivalve Shellfish ◽

Virus Strains ◽

Coastal Discharge

The genetic diversity of Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) circulating in the Campania Region in years 2015–2018 was investigated through the monitoring of sentinel bivalve shellfish and water matrices. Overall, 463 water samples (71 sewage samples, 353 coastal discharge waters, and 39 seawaters samples), and 746 bivalve shellfish samples were analyzed. Positivity for HAV was detected in 20/71 sewage samples, 14/353 coastal discharge waters, 5/39 seawaters, and 102/746 bivalve shellfish. Sixty-one of the positive samples were successfully sequenced and were characterized as genotype IA (n = 50) and IB (n = 11). The prevalent strain circulating in 2015 in both bivalves and waters was the IA strain responsible for the outbreak occurring around the same time in the Naples area. This variant was no longer identified in subsequent years (2017–2018) when, instead, appeared two of the IA variants of the multistate outbreak affecting men who have sex with men (MSM), VRD_521_2016, and RIVM-HAV16–090, with the former prevailing in both shellfish and water environments. HAV IB isolates were detected over the years in shellfish and in water matrices, but not in clinical samples, suggesting that this genotype had been circulating silently. An integrated surveillance system (environment/food/clinical cases) can be a useful tool to monitor changes in viral variants in the population, as well as an early warning system.

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Molecular characterization of hepatitis A virus strains in a tertiary care health set up in north western India

The Indian Journal of Medical Research ◽

10.4103/0971-5916.155577 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 141 (2) ◽

pp. 213 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

MiniPritam Singh ◽

Manasi Majumdar ◽

BabuRam Thapa ◽

PuneetKumar Gupta ◽

Jasmine Khurana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Characterization ◽

Hepatitis A ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Western India ◽

Care Health ◽

Set Up ◽

Virus Strains ◽

North Western

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Male-Dominant Hepatitis A Outbreak Observed among Non-HIV-Infected Persons in the Northern Part of Tokyo, Japan

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13020207 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 207

Author(s):

Masayuki Honda ◽

Hiroyuki Asakura ◽

Tatsuo Kanda ◽

Yoshiko Somura ◽

Tomotaka Ishii ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis A ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

Clinical Information ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Patient Interviews ◽

Treatment And Prevention ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Acute Hepatitis A ◽

Sex With Men

Recently, we experienced an outbreak of acute hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection between 2018 and 2020. Herein, we describe this male-dominant HAV infection outbreak observed among non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons in the northern part of Tokyo, Japan. Clinical information was collected from patient interviews and from medical record descriptions. In the present study, 21 patients were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 90.4 and 33.3% of patients were males, and men who have sex with men (MSM), respectively. The total bilirubin levels and platelet counts tended to be lower in the MSM group than in the non-MSM group. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels tended to be higher in acute liver failure (ALF) patients than in non-ALF patients. Prolonged cholestasis was observed in one patient (4.8%). We also found that 18 HAV isolates belonged to HAV subgenotype IA/subgroup 13 (S13), which clustered with the HAV isolate (KX151459) that was derived from an outbreak of HAV infection among MSM in Taiwan in 2015. Our results suggest that the application of antivirals against HAV, as well as HAV vaccines, would be useful for the treatment and prevention of severe HAV infection.

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Outbreak of acute hepatitis A associated with men who have sex with men (MSM) in North Sardinia 2017-2018

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.12184 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (09) ◽

pp. 1065-1070 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Riccardo Bazzardi ◽

Elena Dore ◽

Massimo Ciccozzi ◽

Alessia Lai ◽

Margherita Pisanu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis A ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

P Value ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Sequencing Method ◽

Acute Hepatitis A ◽

Hiv Antibodies ◽

Duration Of Hospitalization ◽

Sex With Men

Introduction: We describe an outbreak of hepatitis A among men who have sex with men (MSM) which evolved in Sassari (Italy), between January 2017 and December 2018, close to a contextual of large concurrent hepatitis A outbreak reported in Europe and recently, in Italy. Methodology: HAV RNA detection and molecular characterization was performed from serum samples and/or stool by RT - PCR of VP1/2A junction region that ranges from nt. 2,873 to nt. 3,376. The phylogenetic correlation of the circulating hepatitis A strains was assessed by sequencing method according to the HAVNET protocol. Results: 10 Acute Hepatitis A virus (AHA)-positive cases, 8 of which were among men who have sex with men (MSM) were identified. All patients were tested at the time of hospitalization for the presence of anti-HIV antibodies, only two MSM resulted co-infected by HIV. No differences were observed in median age (37 years vs. 41 years, P-value = 0.14), severity or duration of hospitalization between seropositive and HIV-negative men. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted in 2 cases and revealed two distinct sequences of genotype IA linking to clusters recognized in MSM in other European countries in 2016. Conclusion: Our study reported a recent increase of notified hepatitis A cases attributable to cases in the European interconnectedness of MSM in Sassari, a small locality. Hepatitis A vaccination for MSM in Sardinia region is recommended; however, our data emphasize the need of hepatitis A screening and vaccination not only for MSM with occasional partners but also for those in monogamous relationships.

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