Paola Pizzillo

Phylogenetic Reconstruction of HCV Genotype 1b Dissemination in a Small City Centre : The Camporeale Model

Several seroepidemiological population‐based surveys carried out in Italy have shown a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Camporeale (CP), a small Sicilian town with a 10.4% prevalence of HCV mostly genotype 1b, probably represents a specific context, since intravenous drug addiction, and sexual promiscuity are almost absent. In order to reconstruct the pattern of introduction and diffusion of HCV in this ecological niche, the NS5 genomic region of 72 HCV genotype 1 isolates (39 from CP and 33 collected throughout Sicily) was amplified and sequenced. Sequences were aligned and analyzed by BioEdit, PAUP and BEAST, and their molecular evolution compared. Thirty‐eight HCV genotype 1b isolates from CP were associated in a monophyletic “transmission cluster.” By applying Monte Carlo Markov simulation, it was calculated that HCV was introduced between the end of the 1940s and the beginning of the 1950s. The phylogenetic distance between the CP cluster and other Sicilian isolates confirmed its uniqueness and the local diffusion from a common ancestor. The data obtained from classic phylogenetic analysis, combined with the application of the Bayesian analysis to the study of the coalescence of phylogenetic trees, have shown that, in CP, few HCV native strains have been transmitted in a limited length of time probably through iatrogenic routes, and then have not spread further. J. Med. Virol. 80:1723–1731, 2008.

Evaluating the risk of hepatitis B reactivation in patients with haematological malignancies: is the serum hepatitis B virus profile reliable?

Background/Aim: Patients with an occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection undergoing deep immunosuppression are potentially at risk of HBV reactivation. In order to assess whether a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for HBV DNA in serum could be used to predict the reactivation of an occult HBV infection, we performed a retrospective study in a cohort of Sicilian patients with oncohaematological diseases.

HCV genotypes in Sicily: is there any evidence of a shift?

The distribution of HCV strains in any area is characterized by a relative prevalence of one genotype, and a number of less prevalent types. In some Western countries a change from the prevalent HCV genotype 1 to genotypes 3 and 4 has been reported in the last decade. In order to assess possible variations of the distribution of HCV genotypes in Sicily, a southern region of Italy, a hospital‐based cohort, collected prospectively, of 3,209 subjects with chronic HCV infection was surveyed, comparing the distribution of HCV genotypes during two consecutive periods, from 1997 to 2002 and from 2003 to 2007, according to age and gender. The results show that genotype 1b, which has been historically the most prevalent in Sicily, is still predominant, followed more distantly by genotypes 2 and 3a. However, a cohort effect for these genotypes was seen when comparing the two time periods. Genotype 1b decreased slowly over the last decade, due to the death of the people infected, leading to a proportional increase of the other genotypes. No evidence was found in support of a major increase in the prevalence of other genotypes, such as genotype 4, in relation to migration patterns. J. Med. Virol. 81:1040–1046, 2009.

Phylogenetic analysis of isolates from new cases of HBV infection in Southern Italy

The level of endemicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in Italy is low and genotype D infections predominant. New HBV strains may however be introduced as a result of movements of people from regions of high endemicity. The aim of the present study was to determine whether strains from new cases of acute hepatitis B detected in southern Italy were due to endemic or new HBV strains. We studied 34 isolates from patients with acute hepatitis B infection, and 35 from chronic hepatitis B patients. A phylogenetic analysis of preS/S region was done by comparing the sequences from the acute and chronic cases with references sequences. The study showed that 44% of strain from acute hepatitis B patients were of genotype A, 53% of genotype D, and 3% of genotype E. The molecular analysis of isolates from acute hepatitis B patients from Sicily showed a change in the local epidemiology of this infection, with an increase in HBV/A infections and a clustering effect for HBV D2, possibly correlated to immigration. The introduction of new genotypes , could have an effect on HBV-correlated diseases due to the different association between genotype, liver disease and response to antiviral therapy.

389 LONG-TERM EVALUATION OF FIBROSIS BY TRANSIENT ELASTOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS CLEARING HCV ON ANTIVIRAL THERAPY

was unreliable in 15 obese patients(8.9%). 54 patients (37.5%) had an histological and 90 (62.5%) a clinical diagnosis of cirrhosis. All patients underwent endoscopy. LS and SS were measured under US control. Results: In the subgroup with haemodinamic evaluation, we found a significant correlation between HVPG value and SSM(Linear regression analysis: r = 0.671; p =0.009). 9 of them had the highest SS value(75 kPa). Mean HVPG was significant different between patients with SSM lower or equal 75 kPa(12.5mmHg vs 19.1mmHg, p =0.013) without significant differences for bilirubin, albumin or INR values(p=ns). All 9 patients with SSM=75kPa had large esophageal varices(6 F2, 3 F3). In the whole cohort of patients, 80 (55.6%) had EV and 28 (19.4%) had large EV(F2 or F3). The AUROCs of LS and SS were almost the same(0.76 vs 0.73) for the prediction of EV but SSM was significantly better than LSM to predict large EV(AUROCs:0.84 vs 0.72). The best cut-offs of LS and SS for the diagnosis of cirrhosis with EV were 21kPa(Sens. 71%, Spec. 72%) and 47kPa(Sens. 79%, Spec. 70%) respectively. Twenty-four patients with a LSM <21kPa had EV and 6 of them had large EV. Seventeen patients with SSM <47 had varices but none of them had a diagnosis of large varices(NPV=100%). Conclusion: The stiffness of the spleen correlates with portal hypertension. Hence the measurement of SS in patients with cirrhosis adds to the accuracy of TE as a non-invasive tool to predict the presence of esophageal varices.