X region deletion variants of hepatitis B virus in surface antigen-negative infections and non-A, non-B hepatitis.
The etiology of non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH) in renal dialysis patients was determined. Hepatitis C virus was present in many, but its appearance did not correlate with elevated alanine aminotransaminase. When sera from these patients were tested for antibodies against hepatitis B virus (HBV) X antigen and polymerase, 70% were positive. HBV infection was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction using several HBV-specific primer pairs. However, amplification with X region primers failed to yield products in many patients. Cloning and sequencing of these products demonstrated deletions within the X region. Hence, X-deletion variants of HBV are strongly associated with NANBH in renal dialysis patients.
Feitelson
M A
MA
Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107-6799, USA.
Duan
L X
LX
Guo
J
J
Sun
B
B
Woo
J
J
Steensma
K
K
Horiike
N
N
Blumberg
B S
BS
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012016:Reference Values; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein; D000410:Alanine Transaminase