Determination of hepatitis B genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
There are significant variations in the geographic distribution of hepatitis B virus genotypes throughout the world, and some genotypes are associated with different clinical outcomes. Eight genotypes of human hepatitis B virus (designated A-H) have been described to date. To determine the hepatitis B virus genotypes in Turkish patients with chronic liver disease and compare the results with clinical characteristics of the patients.


METHODS
Fifty-four (pediatric: n=25 and adult: n=29) patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and with an hepatitis B virus DNA level above 5 pg/ml were entered into the trial. Restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to determine hepatitis B virus genotype and their restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns. Hepatitis B virus DNA samples of 13 patients were sequenced automatically for further confirmation of restriction fragment length polymorphism results.


RESULTS
Genotype D was the dominant genotype in all of our cases. Among six restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns of genotype D reported in the literature, three (D1, D2, D6) were present in our series and D2 was the most frequent restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern (81.5%). No significant differences were observed among different genotype D restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns with respect to patients' serum ALT, AST, and hepatitis B virus DNA titer, but D2 restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern was significantly more common in younger adults compared to D1 restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern.


CONCLUSIONS
Genotype D with D2 restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern is the dominant hepatitis B virus genotype in all age groups in Turkey.
Institute of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey. filizture07@hotmail.com
Filiz Türe
FT
Ozdemir
Deniz
D
Duman
Deniz
D
Ertem
Erol
E
Avşar
Fatih
F
Eren
Osman
O
Ozdoğan
Cem
C
Kalayci
Nuray
N
Aslan
Ali Mithat
AM
Bozdayi
Nurdan
N
Tözün
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase