title: Prevalence of hepatitis B virus genotype B in Vietnamese patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes can affect treatment response to interferon-based therapy and disease outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Little data exist to characterize HBV genotypes in Vietnamese, one of the largest minority groups in the United States and also one with one of the highest CHB and liver cancer disease burdens. The goal of this study was to compare the distribution of HBV genotypes in Vietnamese and Chinese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional study of 567 consecutive patients of Vietnamese (n = 478) or Chinese (n = 89) descent, with HBV genotype mutation analysis performed between 7/2,005 and 6/2,008 at a community gastroenterology clinic and a university-affiliated liver clinic in the United States.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between the Vietnamese and Chinese groups in mean age (45 and 44 years), gender (58% and 61% male), HBeAg status (64% and 65% negative), median alanine aminotransferase (33 and 41 U/L), and log(10) HBV DNA (4.9 and 5.0 log(10) IU/ml), or the prevalence of precore/basic core promoter mutations (72% and 71%), respectively. Vietnamese patients had a much higher prevalence of HBV genotype B and a lower prevalence of genotype C than Chinese patients: 74% and 25% vs. 55% and 43% (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chinese patients with CHB often carry either B or C genotype. Vietnamese patients with CHB mostly have HBV genotype B. Additional studies are needed to further characterize the clinical significance of HBV genotype in the natural history and treatment outcomes of CHB in Vietnamese patients.
authors: Long H
authors: LH
authors: Nguyen
authors: Nghiem B
authors: NB
authors: Ha
authors: Philip
authors: P
authors: Vutien
authors: Nghi B
authors: NB
authors: Ha
authors: Ruel T
authors: RT
authors: Garcia
authors: Huy N
authors: HN
authors: Trinh
authors: Brian S
authors: BS
authors: Levitt
authors: Huy A
authors: HA
authors: Nguyen
authors: Khanh K
authors: KK
authors: Nguyen
authors: Emmet B
authors: EB
authors: Keeffe
authors: Mindie H
authors: MH
authors: Nguyen