title: High prevalence of HBV genotype D in Syria and the clinical characteristics of hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype D and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis are the most prevalent in Mediterranean countries. No data have ever been published on their prevalence in Syria, a country of intermediate endemicity for HBV. The aims of the current study were to determine the HBV genotype distribution in Syria, the prevalence of HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis and to analyse the clinical characteristics of each group. A total of 220 patients were included. Ninety-seven percent of the patients were of genotype D, and 72% were HBeAg negative. The HBeAg-negative patients were older, had a lower viral load, had more cirrhosis and the mode of contamination was known less than for HBeAg-positive patients. These findings have major implications in understanding the natural history of the infection and are of great relevance in the choice of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St Louis Hospital, Aleppo, Syria. antaki@scs-net.org
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Antaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haffar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ali Deeb
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Assaad
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abou Harb
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zeibane
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasserelddine
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alhaj
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jabbour
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aaraj
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Antaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kebbewar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013593:Syria / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens