title: Hepatitis B virus genotypes, core gene variability and ethnicity in the Pacific region.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The world-wide distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes follows a geographic pattern under the influence of ethnic background.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty eight core genes from four pacific islands were compared with the following findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  First, island-specific variant substitutions were found for only two out of four islands. Second, 11 amino acid and 90 nucleotide changes specific for pacific genotypes C and D were defined. Third, the nucleotide diversity of genotype C (all but one were silent) was greater than that of genotype D.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest an early appearance of genotype C in the pacific with few subsequent amino acid changes because of shared immunological responses across the region followed by random silent changes, some of which reflect isolation of individual island populations. Genotype D appeared later.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Mohammed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jazayeri
authors.forename: Ashraf A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Basuni
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cooksley
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Locarnini
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Carman
mesh_terms: D030541:Databases, Genetic; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens