Phylogeography and evolutionary history of hepatitis E virus genotype 3 in Argentina

BACKGROUND: Few studies about the evolutionary history of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) have been conducted. The aim of our work was to investigate and make inferences about the origin and routes of dispersion of HEV-3 in Argentina. METHODS: Phylogenetic, coalescent and phylogeographic analyses were performed using a 322-bp ORF2 genomic fragment of all HEV-3 sequences with known date and place of isolation published at GenBank until May 2018 (n=926), including 16 Argentinian sequences (isolated from pigs, water and humans). RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis revealed two clades within HEV-3: abchij and efg. All Argentinian samples were grouped intermingled within clade 3abchij. The coalescent analysis showed that the most recent common ancestor for the clade 3abchij would have existed around the year 1967 (95% highest posterior density (HPD): 1963-1970). The estimated substitution rate was 1.01×10-2 (95%HPD: 9.3×10-3-1.09×10-2) substitutions/site/y, comparable with the rate previously described. The phylogeographic approach revealed a correspondence between phylogeny and place of origin for Argentinian samples, suggesting many HEV introductions in the country, probably from Europe and Japan. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first evolutionary inference of HEV-3 that includes Argentinian strains, showing the circulation of many HEV-3 subtypes, obtained from different sources and places, with recent diversification processes. ACCESSION NUMBERS: [KX812460], [KX812461], [KX812462], [KX812465], [KX812466], [KX812467], [KX812468], [KX812469].