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We characterized the full-length genomes of 22 hepatitis C virus genotype 6 (HCV-6) isolates: 10 from Vietnam (classified into subtypes 6e, 6h, 6p, 6r, 6s, and 6u), one from China (confirmed as a new subtype 6xd), and 11 from the Lao PDR (representing a new subtype 6xe plus eight novel variants). With these 22 new genomes, HCV-6 now has a diverse and extended taxonomic structure, comprised of 28 assigned subtypes (denoted 6a-6xe) and 27 unassigned lineages, all of which have been represented by full-length genomes. Our phylogenetic analyses also included many partially-sequenced novel variants of HCV-6 from Lao PDR. This revealed that Lao HCV isolates are genetically very diverse and are phylogenetically distributed in multiple lineages within genotype 6. Our results suggest that HCV-6 has been maintained in Laos, a landlocked country, since the common ancestor of genotype 6 and indicates historical dispersal of HCV-6 across Southeast Asia.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.virol.2014.12.025

Type

Journal article

Journal

Virology

Publication Date

02/2015

Volume

476

Pages

355 - 363

Keywords

Full-length genome, Genotype 6, HCV, Laos, Sequence, Animals, China, Genetic Variation, Genome, Viral, Genotype, Hepacivirus, Hepatitis C, Humans, Laos, Molecular Sequence Data, Phylogeny, Vietnam, Viral Proteins