Full-length genomic sequences of hepatitis E virus (HEV) obtained from two consecutive cases of acute self-limiting hepatitis E in a city in northeast Japan were determined. Interestingly, two HEV isolates from each patient shared nucleotide identity of 99.97% in 7 225 nucleotides, and a phylogenetic analysis showed that they formed a cluster of Japanese isolates that is considered as a new HEV subtype 3k. The high similarity of HEV sequences of two isolates from these patients in this study suggested that a subtype 3k HEV strain had spread via a commonly distributed food in the city, possibly pig liver.
Keywords: full genome; genotype 3; hepatitis viruses; phylogenetic analysis; subtype classification.
© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.