Analysis of the complete genome of subgroup AH hepatitis B virus isolates from South Africa

A phylogenetic analysis is presented of six complete and seven pre-S1/S2/S gene sequences of hepatitis B virus (HBV) isolates from South Africa. Five of the full-length sequences and all of the pre-S2/S se-quences have been previously reported. Four of the six complete genomes and three of the five in-complete sequences clustered with subgroup AH, a unique segment of genotype A of HBV previously identified in 60 % of South African isolates using analysis of the pre-S2/S region alone. This sep-aration was also evident when the polymerase open reading frame was analysed, but not on analysis of either the X or pre-core/core genes. Amino acids were identified in the pre-S1 and polymerase regions specific to subgroup AH. In common wit