Human pegivirus molecular epidemiology in Argentina: Potential contribution of Latin American migration to genotype 3 circulation.

TRINKS J; MAESTRI M; OLIVETO F; DEL PINO N; WEISSENBACHER MC; TORRES OW; OUBIÑA JR

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY

WILEY-LISS, DIV JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2014

0146-6615

In order to determine the HPgV genotypic diversity in Argentina taking into account the potential contribution of human migration from neighbouring countries, samples from 130 Argentine IDUs, 116 Argentine- and 50 immigrant pregnant women were analyzed. HPgV RNA prevalence among HIV[+] IDUs was similar to HIV[+] pregnant women, as was the case when comparing HIV[-] IDUs and HIV[-] pregnant women (p>0.05). HPgV genotype 2 (HPgV/2) was prevalent among both Argentine IDUs and women, in contrast to HPgV/3 observed among mothers from Latin American countries with predominant indigenous populations and who had experienced their initial sexual intercourses -and possibly their source of infection- in those countries (p<0.01). In addition, HPgV vertical and horizontal transmission was proven by molecular analysis of E2 gene and construction of identity matrixes with epidemiologically non-related isolates. This study shows that human migration from neighbouring Latin American countries with predominant indigenous populations contributes to HPgV/3 circulation in Argentina.