High Prevalence of HBV in Tibet, China.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV), distributed throughout the world, is classified into seven geographically separated genotypes designated A to G. Since the prevalence of HBV infection in isolated ethnic Tibetan populations in China, and the HBV genotypes involved have been hither to remained unclear, we collected 262 blood samples from four isolated villages in the east and west regions of Tibet. The prevalence of HBV infection was estimated by EIA for HBV Ag and HBV Ab. The HBV genotypes were determined by a PCR-microwell plate hybridization method using plasma DNA. The prevalence of HBV Ag and HBV Ab positives was 19.1% (50/262 cases) and 29.0% (76/262 cases), respectively. We detected only the C genotype (20/20 cases), this being known as a predominant type of HBV among Mongoloid populations in Asia. The results revealed, for the first time, that Tibetan villagers have a high rate of infection with HBV of C genotype, in line with the available data for chronic hepatitis and liver cancer.
Zhao
Shu Ming
SM
Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya 464-8681, Japan. ktajima@aichi-cc.pref.aichi.jp
Li
Hong Chuan
HC
Lou
Hong
H
Lu
Xiao Xin
XX
Yu
Xiao Feng
XF
Gao
Dang Hui
DH
Hu
Jian
J
Chiba
Hitoshi
H
Takezaki
Toshiro
T
Takeshita
Haruko
H
Yashiki
Shinji
S
Fujiyoshi
Toshinobu
T
Sonoda
Shunro
S
Tajima
Kazuo
K