Distribution of hepatitis B virus genotypes among patients with chronic infection.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be classified into at least eight genotypes, A-H. We evaluated the distribution HBV genotypes among patients with chronic infection.


METHODS
We consecutively evaluated adult patients with chronic HBV infection from Salvador, Brazil. Patients were classified according to HBV infection chronic phases based on HBV-DNA levels and presence of serum HBV markers. HBV-DNA was qualitatively and quantitatively detected in serum by polymerised chain reaction (PCR). Isolates were genotyped by comparison of amino acid mutations and phylogenetic analysis.


RESULTS
One-hundred and fourteen patients were evaluated. HBV-DNA was positive in 96 samples. HBV genotype was done in 76. Mean age was 36 +/- 11.3. In 61 of 76 cases subjects were classified as inactive HBsAg carriers. Their mean HBV serum level was 1760 copies/ml and 53 of 61 were infected with HBV genotype A, seven with HBV genotype F and one with genotype B. Twelve of the 76 patients had detectable hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) in serum. Ten were infected with HBV genotype A and two with genotype F; most had increased alanine aminotransferase and high HBV-DNA levels. Three patients were in the immunotolerant phase, two were infected with HBV genotype A and one with genotype F. HBV subtyping showed subtypes adw2 and adw4.


CONCLUSIONS
HBV genotype A adw2 and genotype F adw4 were the most prevalent isolates found. We could not find differences in genotype distribution according to HBV clinical phases and DNA levels. We did not detect HBV genotype D in contrast to a previous study in our center with acute hepatitis B. All inactive HBsAg carriers had low HBV-DNA levels.
Ribeiro
Nadia Regina Caldas
NR
Gastro-Hepatology Service, Federal University of Bahia and Hospital São Rafael, Bahia, Brazil.
Campos
Gubio Soares
GS
Angelo
Ana Luiza Dias
AL
Braga
Eduardo Lorens
EL
Santana
Nelma
N
Gomes
Michele Mesquita Soares
MM
Pinho
Joao Renato Rebello
JR
De Carvalho
Wilson Andrade
WA
Lyra
Luiz Guilherme Costa
LG
Lyra
Andre Castro
AC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins