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

In order to determine the human pegivirus (HPgV) genotypic diversity in Argentina taking into account the potential contribution of human migration from neighboring countries, samples from 130 Argentine injecting drug users, 116 Argentine- and 50 immigrant-pregnant women were analyzed. HPgV RNA prevalence among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive injecting drug users was similar to HIV-positive pregnant women, as was the case when comparing HIV-negative injecting drug users and HIV-negative pregnant women (P > 0.05). HPgV genotype 2 (HPgV/2) was prevalent among both Argentine injecting drug users and pregnant women, in contrast to HPgV/3 observed among pregnant women 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 neighboring Latin American countries with predominant indigenous populations might contribute to HPgV/3 circulation in Argentina.Fil: Trinks, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica; ArgentinaFil: Maestri, Miriam. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital Materno Infantil "Ramòn Sardá"; ArgentinaFil: Oliveto, Fabián. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital Materno Infantil "Ramòn Sardá"; ArgentinaFil: del Pino, Noemí. Diagnobio S.R.L.; ArgentinaFil: Weissenbacher, Mercedes Crecencia. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Oscar Walter. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital Materno Infantil "Ramòn Sardá"; ArgentinaFil: Oubiña, Jose Raul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica; Argentin