Preponderance of hepatitis B virus genotype B contributes to a better prognosis of chronic HBV infection in Okinawa, Japan.
The present study was designed to examine the distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes among patients at various stages of chronic liver disease type B in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, where the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen is the highest in Japan despite the lowest mortality rate from primary liver cancer. Serum samples from 227 HBV carriers were determined for HBV genotype by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Five of 227 sera were negative for HBV DNA by nested PCR and were excluded from the genotype analysis. Genotype B was predominant in asymptomatic carriers (45/67, 67%), whereas genotype C was predominant in chronic liver disease: 49% (50/103) in patients with chronic hepatitis, 63% (20/32) in patients with cirrhosis, and 60% (12/20) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The distribution of genotype B decreased with increasing liver disease severity. However, this tendency was seen among patients aged less than 50 years old, whereas the prevalence of genotype B was similar among carriers with various liver diseases who were older than age 50. In conclusion, HBV genotype B was prevalent and less frequent among patients with advanced liver disease, particularly in patients aged less than 50 years. These findings suggest that the preponderance of genotype B is responsible for the low mortality rate of primary liver cancer associated with HBV seen in Okinawa Prefecture, despite having the highest HBV carrier rate in Japanese.
First Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Uehara, Okinawa, Japan. b987607@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
Hiroshi
H
Sakugawa
Hiroki
H
Nakasone
Tomofumi
T
Nakayoshi
Etsuro
E
Orito
Masashi
M
Mizokami
Tsuyoshi
T
Yamashiro
Tatsuji
T
Maeshiro
Fukunori
F
Kinjo
Atsushi
A
Saito
Yasuhiro
Y
Miyagi
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics