Department of Virology, Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Department of Animals Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
J Med Virol. 2021 Jun;93(6):4018-4022. doi: 10.1002/jmv.26277. Epub 2020 Oct 7.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major causative agent of acute viral hepatitis in many regions of the world including Africa. In Cameroon, there is no published molecular study on HEV in humans. However, based on serological assays, the first outbreak of HEV was detected in North-Cameroon. The objective of this study was to determine the molecular characterization of HEV that circulated during this period. A retrospective study design was used to select serum samples among those collected during the outbreak period. immunoglobulin M positive samples available in sufficient volumes to amplify HEV RNA were selected. RNA was extracted and then amplified by a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real time RT-PCR) assay, followed by a nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR) assay for sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Overall, 24 samples were selected and HEV RNA was amplified by real-time RT-PCR in 20 samples. Amongst these, 12 samples were positive for HEV RNA by nested RT-PCR and yielded good sequencing products. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 10 samples clustered with HEV genotype 1 (subtype 1e) and two samples clustered with HEV genotype 3 (subtype 3f). This study fills the gap of knowledge on the molecular epidemiology of HEV in Cameroon and confirms the first report of the hepatitis E outbreak in North-Cameroon.
戊型肝炎病毒（HEV）是世界许多地区（包括非洲）急性病毒性肝炎的主要病原体。在喀麦隆，尚无关于人类 HEV 的已发表的分子研究。然而，基于血清学检测，首次在北喀麦隆检测到 HEV 爆发。本研究的目的是确定在此期间传播的 HEV 的分子特征。采用回顾性研究设计，从爆发期间采集的血清样本中选择样本。选择了具有足够量的免疫球蛋白 M 阳性样本以扩增 HEV RNA。提取 RNA 后，通过实时逆转录聚合酶链反应（实时 RT-PCR）检测进行扩增，然后进行巢式逆转录聚合酶链反应（nested RT-PCR）检测以进行测序和系统发育分析。总体而言，选择了 24 个样本，并通过实时 RT-PCR 在 20 个样本中扩增了 HEV RNA。在这些样本中，有 12 个样本通过巢式 RT-PCR 检测到 HEV RNA 呈阳性，并产生了良好的测序产物。系统发育分析表明，10 个样本与 HEV 基因型 1（亚型 1e）聚类，2 个样本与 HEV 基因型 3（亚型 3f）聚类。本研究填补了喀麦隆 HEV 分子流行病学知识的空白，并证实了北喀麦隆首次报告的戊型肝炎爆发。
