Molecular analysis of hepatitis B virus isolates in Mexico: predominant circulation of hepatitis B virus genotype H.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the genotypes in Mexican hepatitis B virus (HBV) isolates and characterize their precore and core promoter mutations.


METHODS
Forty-nine HBV isolates of Mexico obtained from sera of 15 hepatitis patients, 6 hemodialysis patients, 20 men seeking HIV testing, and 8 AIDS patients were analyzed. HBV isolates were amplified by PCR, and genotyped by line probe assay (INNO-LiPA HBV Genotyping; INNOGENETICS N V, Ghent, Belgium). HBV genotype confirmation was performed by DNA sequencing part of the sAg region. Precore and core promoter mutation characterization was performed by line probe assay (INNO-LiPA HBV PreCore; INNOGENETICS N V, Ghent, Belgium).


RESULTS
Overall, HBV genotype H was found in 37 (75.5%) out of the 49 isolates studied. HBV genotypes G, A, and D were found in 5 (10.2%), 4 (8.2%), and 3 (6.1%) isolates, respectively. HBV genotype H was predominant in isolates from hemodialysis patients (100%), hepatitis patients (80%), and men seeking HIV testing (75%), and accounted for half of infections in AIDS patients (50%). Six (12.2%) out of the 49 HBV isolates showed both wild type and mutant populations at precore codon 28. These mixed wild type and precore mutant populations were observed in one HBV genotype A isolate and in all HBV genotype G isolates. A dual variant core promoter mutation was observed in 1 (2%) of the isolates, which was genotype H.


CONCLUSIONS
HBV genotype H is highly predominant in HBV isolates of Mexico followed by genotypes G, A and D. A low frequency of precore and core promoter mutations is observed in HBV Mexican isolates.
Alvarado-Esquivel
Cosme
C
Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Durango, Dgo, Mexico. alvaradocosme@yahoo.com
Sablon
Erwin
E
Conde-González
Carlos-Jesús
CJ
Juárez-Figueroa
Luis
L
Ruiz-Maya
Lilia
L
Aguilar-Benavides
Sergio
S
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D015995:Prevalence; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D004279:DNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins